Canes

From around 1550 to 1930, canes were a dressing accessory without which a lady or gentleman, properly dressed, would never leave the house. However their use went out of fashion after this, leaving the market to collectors.

For a collector, the main interest lies in the handle, which could be made of wood, bamboo, ebony, ivory, tusk, animal horn, or bone. Sometimes they were made out of porcelain, Bakelite, gold, silver, or glass; enameled or cloisonnéd; or sprinkled with precious gemstones. The height of good taste was a gold handle with minmal decoration, as silver handles were despised by more...

A walking stick was an integral part of every well dressed man's wardrobe in the nineteenth century, and his collection of walking-sticks were probably kept just inside the hall in a stand, sharing space with umbrellas.

Walking-sticks and canes derive from the cudgels and staves carried for defence, evolving into dress accessories topped with silver or ivory, with a ferrule at the point to cut down wear. Many had elaborately carved heads. Sometimes these unscrewed to reveal space for a snuff box or other article. About 200 ancillary accessories are known to have been incorporated into walking more...

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An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle carved with…

An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle carved with maritime crest, with baleen spacer, ebony shaft and brass ferrule, 19th century, 93.5 cm high

An antique whalebone walking stick with a serpent head handle,…

19th Century Serpent Head Whalebone Walking Stick

An antique whalebone walking stick with a serpent head handle, 19th century, the cane comprising a series of gently swollen sections replicating cane, the serpent head with carved features and a single tooth, 74 cm long

Victorian whalebone walking cane, late 19th century, marine…

Victorian Whalebone Walking Cane with Ivory Handle and Silver Mount

Victorian whalebone walking cane, late 19th century, marine ivory ball handle and silver mount engraved with flower, on a bone shaft, height 89.5 cm

An antique carved whale's tooth fist walking stick handle,…

Carved Whale's Tooth Walking Stick Handle, 18th/19th Century

An antique carved whale's tooth fist walking stick handle, 18th/19th century 9.5 cm high

An ebony walking stick with marine ivory handle the bulbous…

Ebony Walking Stick with Marine Ivory Handle

An ebony walking stick with marine ivory handle the bulbous handle of whale's tooth or walrus tusk ivory, the tip of dense horn, length 92 cm.

A late 19th century whalebone walking stick, turned wood plain…

Whalebone walking stick with plain knob handle

A late 19th century whalebone walking stick, turned wood plain knob handle, plain tapered whalebone shaft, length 83.5 cm.

A late 19th century carved whalebone walking stick, carved…

Carved Whalebone Walking Stick with Eagle Head Handle

A late 19th century carved whalebone walking stick, carved stylised eagle head handle, paua shell insert panel bands with some loses, old repair, length 83.5 cm.

A probably whale bone walking stick, length 90 cm heavily…

Whale Bone Walking Stick with Decorated Shaft

A probably whale bone walking stick, length 90 cm heavily tooled and turned decorated shaft, thin lower section

A Tasmanian whale bone walking stick, length 83 cm

Tasmanian Whale Bone Walking Stick - 83cm Length

A Tasmanian whale bone walking stick, length 83 cm

A 19th century whalebone walking cane, plain tapered form,…

Whalebone Cane with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay

A 19th century whalebone walking cane, plain tapered form, inlaid at the handle with diamonds of black lip mother-of-pearl shell. Length 76.5 cm. Provenance: The H.N.E Sheppard Estate Collection.

A c.1900 solid whalebone walking stick, the plain mildly…

Solid Whalebone Walking Stick, c.1900

A c.1900 solid whalebone walking stick, the plain mildly tapered shaft with solid wedge section handle. Length 79 cm.

An antique walking stick, stained bamboo shaft, nickel collar…

Antique Walking Stick with Whalebone Handle and Measuring Stick

An antique walking stick, stained bamboo shaft, nickel collar and carved whalebone handle, plus concealed fold measuring stick (5 foot), 19th century, 95 cm high

An Australian fiddleback blackwood walking stick with silver…

19th Century Australian Fiddleback Blackwood Walking Stick with Whalebone Handle

An Australian fiddleback blackwood walking stick with silver collar and carved whalebone Napoleon handle, 19th century, 99c, high

Fiddleback blackwood walking stick with cow horn whalebone…

Blackwood Walking Stick with Cow Horn Handle

Fiddleback blackwood walking stick with cow horn whalebone handle and ebony dot to top, 98 cm long

19th century ivory handled walking stick, the curved ivory…

Ivory Monogram Walking Stick with Whale Bone End

19th century ivory handled walking stick, the curved ivory handle with monogram and carved decoration on tapered stick, with whale bone end, a/f, length 92 cm

A fine 19th century mariner's walking stick the octagonal…

Mariner's Walking Stick with Ivory Handle and Baleen Inlay

A fine 19th century mariner's walking stick the octagonal marine ivory handle inset with baleen diamonds, carved with a double-cord plait collar and surmounted by a Turk's knot finial, the tapering whalebone shaft carved with a wrythen twist, length 90 cm

Gentleman's walking stick, set with silver knop end, with…

Silver Knop Walking Stick with Embossed Design and Spiral Carving

Gentleman's walking stick, set with silver knop end, with embossed flowers and foliage above a whale bone band, the stick, of carved sipiralled form, length 89 cm

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle, silver…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Tooth Handle and Silver Inlay

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle, silver collar and inlay, 19th century, 88 cm high

Edwardian walking stick, set with whale bone handle, with…

Whale Bone Handle Edwardian Walking Stick

Edwardian walking stick, set with whale bone handle, with sterling silver mount and tapering stick, length 89 cm

Whalebone walking stick in multiple carved patterns (no handle)

Whalebone Carved Walking Stick (No Handle)

Whalebone walking stick in multiple carved patterns (no handle)

A whalebone walking stick with whale tooth handle in the form…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Tooth Handle and Lignum Vitae Spacer

A whalebone walking stick with whale tooth handle in the form of a fist and lignum vitae spacer, 19th century, 89 cm high

A whalebone walking stick with whale tooth Turkmans knot handle…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Turkmans Knot Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whale tooth Turkmans knot handle inlaid with tortoiseshell and baleen, 19th century, 85 cm high

A walking stick, whalebone and whale tooth with timber and…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Stick

A walking stick, whalebone and whale tooth with timber and baleen segments, 19th century, 88 cm high

A good 19th century whalebone walking stick, the plain tapered…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Stick with Sperm Whale Tooth Handle

A good 19th century whalebone walking stick, the plain tapered shaft with bands of horn below the tapered octagonal sperm whale's tooth handle, length 91.5 cm

An elegant late 19th century whalebone walking stick, the…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Ivory Handle

An elegant late 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of a tooth ivory knob tapering to join to the whalebone shaft at a silver band, length 83.5 cm.

A whalebone walking stick with whales tooth carved fist handle…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Carved Tooth Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whales tooth carved fist handle and silver collar, 19th century, 81 cm high

A whalebone swagger stick, with carved and wrythen turned shaft…

Whalebone Swagger Stick with Ivory Finial

A whalebone swagger stick, with carved and wrythen turned shaft fitted with an ivory small ball finial affixed to the shaft with a rosewood and horn collar. Length 50 cm.

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of an…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Ivory Handle

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of an octagonal tooth ivory knob tapering to join the shaft with a band of rosewood and further tooth ivory, the tapering cylindrical shaft of good quality bone. Length 89 cm.

A marine ivory handled walking stick, the small natural whale's…

Marine Ivory Walking Stick with Whale's Tooth

A marine ivory handled walking stick, the small natural whale's tooth joined by a collar of alternating narrow bands of baleen and marine ivory to a tapering jarrah shaft. Length 89 cm

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of a…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Ivory Handle

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of a tooth ivory asymmetrical knob tapering to join to the octagonal tapering whalebone shaft at an engraved silver plated band. Length 89 cm

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of a…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Ivory Handle

A 19th century whalebone walking stick, the handle formed of a tooth ivory knob tapering to join to the whalebone shaft at a silver plated band. Length 83.5 cm

A 19th century decorated whalebone walking stick with later…

Whalebone walking stick with greenstone handle

A 19th century decorated whalebone walking stick with later sculpted greenstone handle, the tapered shaft with bands of wrythen and geometric incised detail together with an octagonal band inlaid with inlaid baleen discs, the carved dark greenstone handle…

A quality 19th century marine ivory and whalebone carved Turk's…

Marine Ivory & Whalebone Turk's Knot Walking Stick

A quality 19th century marine ivory and whalebone carved Turk's Knot walking stick, the marine ivory handle carved as a double strand Turk's Knot with three baleen discs connecting the finely carved shaft with notch, ribbed and spiral sections banded with…

A whalebone walking stick, the shaft and handle made of one…

Plain Whalebone Walking Stick

A whalebone walking stick, the shaft and handle made of one piece of whalebone, plain with no decoration, metal ferrule to tip. Length 87 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.

A lady's silver topped whalebone walking cane, the fine…

Silver Topped Whalebone Walking Cane

A lady's silver topped whalebone walking cane, the fine tapering whalebone shaft terminating in a small silver plate collar, decoratively carved ivorine section and an engraved silver handle. Length 85 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.

A whalebone and ivory walking cane, the shaft of alternating…

Whalebone and Ivory Walking Cane

A whalebone and ivory walking cane, the shaft of alternating plain and patterned bone sections, terminating in a wide silver collar and spherical ivory handle. Length 88 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.

An impressive whalebone and marine ivory walking stick, the…

Whalebone and Ivory Walking Stick

An impressive whalebone and marine ivory walking stick, the main portion of shaft in whalebone with five smaller sections of marine ivory and ivorine carved in varied patterns with baleen embellishments, the shaft terminating in clenched fist carved from…

A whalebone and wood walking stick, the whalebone shaft…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Silver Collar

A whalebone and wood walking stick, the whalebone shaft terminating in a silver collar and turned ebonised wood handle. Length 89 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.

A whale's penis walking stick with white metal handle and…

Whale Penis Walking Stick with Engraved Collar

A whale's penis walking stick with white metal handle and collar engraved 'Presented to P. Martel by Mining Dep.T, Melbourne' 19th century

A whalebone walking stick with turned segments of ebony, baleen…

Tasmanian Whalebone Walking Stick with Ebony and Baleen Segments

A whalebone walking stick with turned segments of ebony, baleen and casuarina with whale tooth handle, Tasmanian origin, 19th century 88 cm longs

A superb whalebone walking stick, early 19th century carved…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Inlaid Shell and Horn

A superb whalebone walking stick, early 19th century carved from a single piece of bone, inlaid with tortoise shell, mother of pearl, baleen and horn very impressive weight and handsome proportions 97 cm long

A whalebone walking stick, the shaft with metal ferrule the…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Marine Ivory Handle

A whalebone walking stick, the shaft with metal ferrule the marine ivory handle in the form of a Turk's knot. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Length 88.5 cm

A short whalebone cane, the shaft with metal ferrule, the…

Marine Ivory Dog Head Cane

A short whalebone cane, the shaft with metal ferrule, the marine ivory handle in the form of a dog's head, glass eyes and engraved silver collar. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Length 66 cm

A whalebone cane, the shaft with metal ferrule the top with…

Whalebone cane with marine ivory and horn discs

A whalebone cane, the shaft with metal ferrule the top with four marine ivory discs and five horn discs, a small silver plate cartouche with dog to the front, handle absent. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Length 83 cm

A 19th century whalebone cane, plain tapering shaft, small chip…

19th Century Whalebone Cane, 92cm Length

A 19th century whalebone cane, plain tapering shaft, small chip to top. Length 92 cm

Good 19th century whale bone walking stick, with knop handle,…

19th Century Whale Bone Walking Stick with Knop Handle

Good 19th century whale bone walking stick, with knop handle, above a tapering stem, length 91 cm

A carved whale bone and whale tooth walking stick, late 19th…

19th Century Carved Whale Bone Walking Stick

A carved whale bone and whale tooth walking stick, late 19th century, 83 cm long

Whalebone walking stick with horn handle, Permit no: 1330/17

Whalebone walking stick with horn handle

Whalebone walking stick with horn handle, Permit no: 1330/17

Whale bone walking stick having turned & cross banded detail,…

Cross Banded Whale Bone Walking Stick with Bone Handle

Whale bone walking stick having turned & cross banded detail, with a bone handle, length 69 cm

Whale ivory & whalebone walking stick with baleen rings &…

Whale Ivory Walking Stick with Baleen Rings & Facetted Handle

Whale ivory & whalebone walking stick with baleen rings & facetted handle

Small whalebone whales tooth & baleen walking stick with Turks…

Whalebone walking stick with Turks head handle

Small whalebone whales tooth & baleen walking stick with Turks head handle

A solid whalebone walking stick with whalebone handle, 19th…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Stick with Handle

A solid whalebone walking stick with whalebone handle, 19th century, 87 cm

A whale's penis walking stick with fiddleback blackwood handle,…

19th Century Whale Penis Walking Stick with Fiddleback Blackwood Handle

A whale's penis walking stick with fiddleback blackwood handle, 19th century, 91 cm

A whalebone walking stick with carved whale's tooth fist handle…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Carved Tooth Handle

A whalebone walking stick with carved whale's tooth fist handle with casuarina, cedar, baleen and horn spacers, 19th century, 88 cm long

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth Turkman's knot…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Turkman's Knot Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth Turkman's knot handle, 19th century, shaft carved from a solid piece of bone, 85 cm long

Whalebone walking stick with facetted & rope twist decoration…

Facetted Rope Twist Whalebone Walking Stick

Whalebone walking stick with facetted & rope twist decoration (no handle), Permit number: 1208/16

Whalebone walking stick with Fist handle decorated with…

Baleen Fist Walking Stick with Rope Twist Decoration

Whalebone walking stick with Fist handle decorated with casuarina & baleen in a rope twist pattern, Permit no: 1231/16

A whalebone inset walking stick with walrus ivory snake handle,…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Ivory Snake Handle

A whalebone inset walking stick with walrus ivory snake handle, 19th century, 90 cm long

A whalebone and mother of pearl walking stick, 19th century, 99…

Whalebone and Pearl Walking Stick, 19th Century

A whalebone and mother of pearl walking stick, 19th century, 99 cm long

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth and pearl shell…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Tooth and Pearl Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth and pearl shell handle, 19th century, 83 cm

A whale bone baleen spiral carved walking cane, 19th century,…

19th Century Whale Bone Spiral Walking Cane

A whale bone baleen spiral carved walking cane, 19th century, 78 cm long

A walking stick with concealed opium pipe attachment, whale…

Opium Walking Stick with Whale Tooth and Bone

A walking stick with concealed opium pipe attachment, whale tooth, bone and timber, 19th century, 91 cm. Provenance: Private collection Hobart,

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle, early 19th…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Tooth Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle, early 19th century, 88 cm

A whalebone walking stick carved from one solid piece, early…

Whalebone Walking Stick, 19th Century

A whalebone walking stick carved from one solid piece, early 19th century, 92 cm

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle and horn…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Tooth Handle

A whalebone walking stick with whale's tooth handle and horn collar, 19th century, 94 cm

A walking stick, whalebone and horn with whale tooth top, early…

Whalebone and Horn Walking Stick

A walking stick, whalebone and horn with whale tooth top, early to mid 19th century, 85 cm

Ivory, whale bone & tortoiseshell walking stick having an ivory…

Ivory, Whalebone, and Tortoiseshell Walking Stick with Inlay

Ivory, whale bone & tortoiseshell walking stick having an ivory twist handle, with a whalebone cane with tortoiseshell inlay throughout. Condition, good to fair, some loose inlay, length, 84 cm

An antique whale bone walking stick, 19th century, a simple…

19th Century Whale Bone Walking Stick

An antique whale bone walking stick, 19th century, a simple unadorned stick with a right angled handle, length 87 cm.

A Victorian whalebone walking stick, the tapered cylindrical…

Victorian Whalebone Walking Stick with Turk's Head Knot Handle

A Victorian whalebone walking stick, the tapered cylindrical shaft with two-thirds wrythen twist, the knob form top with carved Turk's Head knot handle. Length 84.5 cm

A fine antique whale bone walking cane, 19th century, the heavy…

Antique Whale Bone Walking Cane with Tooth Handle

A fine antique whale bone walking cane, 19th century, the heavy cane with a spiral twist relief carved motif to the length with a crossed hatched upper section to a brass ferrule, the handle of turned whale tooth and having a compressed spherical screw…

Whalebone cane with fist handle, 84 cm

Whalebone Fist Handle Cane - 84cm

Whalebone cane with fist handle, 84 cm

Walking stick with whalebone handle, 88 cm

Whalebone-handled walking stick, 88cm

Walking stick with whalebone handle, 88 cm

Whalebone walking stick, 83 cm

Whalebone Walking Stick - 83cm

Whalebone walking stick, 83 cm

19th century whale tooth mounted walking stick. Length 94 cm

Whale Tooth Walking Stick - 19th Century

19th century whale tooth mounted walking stick. Length 94 cm

Whalebone & baleen walking stick with facetted handle, 92 cm

Facetted whalebone walking stick, 92cm

Whalebone & baleen walking stick with facetted handle, 92 cm

Whalebone walking stick with Turks head handle & multiple…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Carved Turks Head Handle

Whalebone walking stick with Turks head handle & multiple carving designs (rope twist reeded fluted & diamond), 92 cm

A Sessionist style whale tooth handled walking stick early 20th…

Whale Tooth Walking Stick with Silver Mounts

A Sessionist style whale tooth handled walking stick early 20th century ebonised wood stand with hand beaten sterling silver mounts, possibly Austro-Hungarian, 72 cm high (crack to tooth)

Three Victorian walking sticks, 19th century, including a…

Victorian Walking Sticks Collection

Three Victorian walking sticks, 19th century, including a turned and carved whalebone walking stick, an 18 ct. gold mounted wooden walking stick and a green twisted glass walking stick (3), approx height 90 cm

Whalebone walking stick decorated with Turks head, rope twist &…

Whalebone Walking Stick with Carved Detailing

Whalebone walking stick decorated with Turks head, rope twist & reeded carving

A carved whalebone walking cane, 19th century

19th Century Whalebone Walking Cane

A carved whalebone walking cane, 19th century

Two carved whalebone wooden mounted walking canes, 19th century,…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Canes with Carvings

Two carved whalebone wooden mounted walking canes, 19th century, the tallest 89 cm

A carved whalebone walking cane with screw-top hidden…

Whalebone cane with hidden gambling die, 19th century

A carved whalebone walking cane with screw-top hidden compartment containing a gambling die, 19th century

Two ornately carved whalebone walking canes, 19th century, the…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Canes (8 words)

Two ornately carved whalebone walking canes, 19th century, the tallest 90 cm

Two carved whalebone walking canes, 19th century, the tallest…

19th Century Whalebone Walking Canes (or) Carved Whalebone Canes

Two carved whalebone walking canes, 19th century, the tallest 85 cm

Australian stockwhips & other curios: Museum standard life-time…

Australian Stockwhips & Curios Collection

Australian stockwhips & other curios: Museum standard life-time collection of stockwhip handles, walking sticks & walking stick handles. Predominantly Australian origin ranging from early 19th to mid 20th century. Many fine examples including fiddleback…

A whalebone baleen and turned wood cane, 19th century. 81 cm…

19th Century Whalebone and Wood Cane

A whalebone baleen and turned wood cane, 19th century. 81 cm long

A whalebone baleen and carved wood cane, 19th century turned…

19th Century Whalebone and Carved Wood Cane

A whalebone baleen and carved wood cane, 19th century turned fish scale and spiral carved. 83 cm long

A fist carved whalebone walking cane, 19th century. 85.5 cm long

19th Century Whalebone Walking Cane

A fist carved whalebone walking cane, 19th century. 85.5 cm long

Large whalebone walking stick featuring a Turks head handle…

Tasmanian Whaling Captain's Whalebone Walking Stick

Large whalebone walking stick featuring a Turks head handle with rope twist and diamond carving. Provenance: Richard Copping, skipper of Tasmanian whaling ship Harriet McGregor

Early whalebone and antler cane. Whalebone stem with antler…

Whalebone and Antler Cane

Early whalebone and antler cane. Whalebone stem with antler handle and metal collar. Length 87 cm

A whalebone, baleen and turned wood cane, 19th century,…

Baleen and Wood Cane by M.A.d'Avanzo, 19th Century

A whalebone, baleen and turned wood cane, 19th century, labelled M.A.d'.Avanzo, Queensland, 84 cm long

A turned and faceted whalebone cane, 19th century, 84 cm long

19th Century Faceted Whalebone Cane - 84cm Long

A turned and faceted whalebone cane, 19th century, 84 cm long

A whalebone and baleen fish scale carved walking cane, 19th…

19th Century Whalebone Carved Walking Cane

A whalebone and baleen fish scale carved walking cane, 19th century, 82 cm long

A whalebone and shark vertebrae cane, circa 1900, 89 cm long

Whalebone and Shark Vertebrae Cane (1900)

A whalebone and shark vertebrae cane, circa 1900, 89 cm long

A whalebone, silver and ebony cane, 19th century, 92 cm long

Whalebone Silver Ebony Cane, 19th Century

A whalebone, silver and ebony cane, 19th century, 92 cm long

A corkscrew carved whalebone walking stick with bone handle,…

Whalebone Corkscrew Walking Stick

A corkscrew carved whalebone walking stick with bone handle, 19th century, 85 cm high