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Description: Fine canne japonaise en bois sculpté, l'écorce laissée en réserve déegeant un décor d'oiseau branchés, echassiers et paysages de pagodes.
Notes: When one thinks of walking sticks in today's society, our first thoughts turn to canes and the infirm. But the walking stick is much more than an aide. Over the centuries it has been used for many purposes, from weaponry to clothing accessory. It has been a symbol of authority, as well as a decorative appendage. <br><br>The walking stick has three main parts--the 'handle' by which the stick is held, the 'shaft' or straight part of the stick, a 'band' or 'collar' which joins the handle to the shaft if they are of different materials, a 'ferrule' or tip, and the 'wrist cord' for carrying. A ferrule was usually metal to protect the end of the stick. Sometimes, however, it was of a material that matched the handle, such as ivory horn, silver or gold. Before roads were paved, the ferrule was three to four inches long.<br><br>HISTORY<br><br><br>Although the first sticks were probably used to help one stand, they became both weapons and symbols of authority. The larger and stronger the man, the larger the stick. As centuries passed, man added stones, points and hatchets to the sticks, which then became weapons as well as walking aides. The most elaborate of sticks would belong to the chiefs of tribes. These were often elaborately carved with emblems pertaining to the tribe.<br><br>In ancient Egypt, a stick was an object of prime importance. But while everyone had one, they varied by the person's occupation. A shepherd's staff was different from a merchant's, whose was different from a priest's or Pharaoh's. The stick remained with a person even in death, when it was placed in the coffin beside the mummy to protect the deceased on his travels.<br><br>The middle ages were dominated by the church, and this showed in the design of the walking sticks. The decorations were crosses and bishop's crosiers. Some even contained hiding places for money, precious stones and secret weapons. <br><br>European kings used canes or sticks as a symbol of authority. Many monarchs, such as Henry VIII and Charles I have their hands resting on sticks in their portraits. Louis XIV 'wore' his canes, and the court followed suit. (Although they could not be worn to court in the presence of the king.) The knobs and handles of many royal sticks were embellished with precious jewels.<br><br>Once the industrial revolution came about in the 19th century, canes were manufactured in mass by the hundreds of thousands. Stores carried specialty canes as well, some even designed by the leading silversmiths of the day.<br><br><br>TYPES OF CANES<br><br><br>Decorative Sticks<br><br>The decorative sticks we see today in collections are mostly from the 19th century and up to about 1920. These were mainly fashion accessories and came in a variety of materials. Handles could be silver, ivory, porcelain, wooden, or glass. Silver was popular, and ranged from simple round knobs to elaborate animal figures. Ivory was also popular, and like silver, came in a variety of subjects. There were animals, flowers, vegetables and even human figures for handles. Porcelain handles were made mainly from molds. Wood handles were carved by hand, sometimes by shepherds and prisoners of war. <br><br>Gadget Sticks<br><br>While the term 'gadget' stick is new, the concept is old. The term applies to those walking sticks which had a dual purpose. Approximately two thousand patents were issued for sticks such as these.<br><br>Gadget sticks can be subdivided into categories--those which contain a place to hide something, those with some other purely functional alternate use, and those which represent the rank, function or profession of the owner. Gadget sticks can also be divided into uses--serious walking, city use, emblem or tool for profession, or as a weapon.<br><br>Country walking sticks remain popular still today. Some have a compass in the handle, and others may be devoted to a country pasttime such as fishing, golfing or riding.vCity walking sticks were more for show than use. Elegant ladies and gentleman carried them as a reflection of manners. They often hid snuff, pipe tobacco or chewing tobacco inside the handles. The shaft could hide cigars, cigarettes or matches. Some were even used to carry drugs, illegal or otherwise. Some walking sticks had watches or other scientific gadgets in their handles. They also held opera glasses, binoculars and telescopes. Some walking sticks even converted into musical instruments--portable music before the invention of the radio!<br><br>Professional walking sticks reflected the trade of the owner. These often represented a trade or legal service, such as a magistrate or police officer.<br><br>The last category of use is weaponry. Not only could they be used as the weapon, but they could conceal weapons. If a shaft were sturdy enough, and the handle heavy enough (such as brass), used properly, the stick could do some serious damage. Concealed weapons included blades, spikes, pistols and swords. Fortunately, it is illegal in most countries to carry concealed weapons such as these. <br><br><br>A walking stick is a device used by many people to facilitate balancing while walking.<br><br>Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes, and can be sought by collectors. Some kinds of walking stick may be used by people with disabilities as a crutch. The walking stick has also historically been known to be used as a defensive or offensive weapon, and may conceal a knife or sword as in a swordstick.<br><br>Walking sticks, also known as trekking poles, pilgrim's staffs, hiking poles or hiking sticks, are used by hikers for a wide variety of purposes: to clear spider webs, or part thick bushes or grass obscuring the trail; as a support when going uphill or a brake when going downhill; as a balance point when crossing streams, swamps or other rough terrain; to feel for obstacles in the path; to test mud and puddles for depth; and as a defence against wild animals. A walking stick can be improvised from nearby felled wood. More ornate sticks are made for avid hikers, and are often adorned with small trinkets or medallions depicting 'conquered' territory. Wood walking sticks are used for outdoor sports, healthy upper body exercise and even club, department and family memorials. They can be individually handcrafted from a number of woods, and may be personalised in many ways for the owner.<br><br>A collector of walking sticks is termed a Rabologist.<br><br>Around the 17th or 18th century, a stout rigid stick took over from the sword as an essential part of the European gentleman's wardrobe, used primarily as a walking stick. In addition to its value as a decorative accessory, it also continued to fulfill some of the function of the sword as a weapon. The standard cane was rattan with a rounded metal grip. The clouded cane, as in the quotation below, was made of malacca (rattan stems) and showed the patina of age:<br>' Sir Plume, of amber snuff-box justly vain, And the nice conduct of a clouded cane.' -Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock<br><br>Some canes had specially weighted metalwork. Other types of wood, such as hickory, are equally suitable.<br><br>Accessories <br>The most common accessory, before or after purchase or manufacture, is a hand strap, to prevent loss of the stick should the hand release its grip. These are often threaded through a hole drilled into the stick rather than tied around. <br>A clip-on frame or similar device can be used to stand a stick against the top of a table. <br>In cold climates, a metallic cleat may be added to the foot of the cane. This dramatically increases traction on ice. The device is usually designed so it can be easily flipped to the side to prevent damage to indoor flooring. <br>Different handles are available to match grips of varying sizes. <br>Rubber ferrules give extra traction on most surfaces. <br>Nordic walking (ski walking) poles are extremely popular in Europe. Walking with two poles in the correct length radically reduces the stress to the knees, hips and back. These special poles come with straps resembling a fingerless glove, durable metal tips for off-road and removable rubber tips for pavement and other hard surfaces.<br><br><br>Types of walking stick<br><br>Ashplant - an Irish walking stick made from the ash tree<br><br>Devil's walking stick - Made from Hercules plant.<br><br>Shooting stick - It can fold out into a single-legged seat.<br><br>Supplejack - Made from a tropical American vine, also serves as a cane.<br><br>Penang lawyer - Made from Licuala. After the bark was removed with only a piece of glass, the stick was straightened by fire and polished. The fictional Dr. Mortimer owned one of these in The Hound of the Baskervilles.<br><br>Makila (or makhila) - Basque walking stick or Staff, usually made from medlar wood. It often features a gold or silver foot and handle, which may conceal a steel blade. The Makila's elaborate engravings are actually carved into the living wood, then allowed to heal before harvesting.<br><br>Kebbie - a rough Scottish walking stick, similar to an Irish Shillelagh, with a hooked head<br><br>Whangee - Asian, made of bamboo, also a riding crop. Such a stick was owned by Charlie Chaplin's character The Tramp.<br><br>Malacca - Malay stick made of rattan palms.<br><br>Pike Staff - Pointed at the end for slippery surfaces.<br><br>Waddy - Australian Aboriginal walking stick or war club, about one meter in length, sometimes with a stone head affixed with string and beeswax.<br><br>Ziegenhainer:- Knotty German stick, made from European Cornel, also used as a melee weapon by a duelist's second. The spiral groove caused by a parasitic vine was often imitated by its maker if not present.<br><br><br>American 'walking canes'<br><br>In North America, a walking cane is a walking stick with a curved top much like a shepherd's staff, but shorter. Thus, although they are called 'canes,' they are usually made of material heavier than cane, such as wood or metal.<br><br>In the United States, presidents have often carried canes and received them as gifts. The Smithsonian has a cane given to George Washington by Benjamin Franklin. It features a gold handle in the shape of a Phrygian cap. In modern times, walking sticks are usually only seen with formal attire. Collectors of canes look for the old, the new, the unique and the novel. Retractable canes that reveal such properties as hidden compartments, pool sticks, or blades are popular among collectors. Handles have been made from many substances, both natural and manmade. Carved and decorated canes have turned the functional into the fantastic.<br><br>The idea of a fancy cane as a fashion accessory to go with top hat and tails has been popularized in many song-and-dance acts, especially by Fred Astaire in several of his films and in the song Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.<br><br>Some canes, known as 'Tippling Canes' or 'Tipplers,' have hollowed-out compartments near the top where flasks or vials of alcohol could be hidden and sprung out on demand.<br><br>When used as a mobility or stability aide, canes are generally used in the hand opposite the injury or weakness. This may appear counter-intuitive, but this allows the cane to be used for stability in a way that lets the user shift much of their weight onto the cane and away from their weaker side as they walk. Personal preference, or a need to hold the cane in their dominant hand, means some cane users choose to hold the cane on their injured side.<br><br>In a violent episode in the U.S. Congress in 1856, Charles Sumner of Massachusetts called Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois a 'noisome squat and nameless animal' and brutally insulted Andrew Butler of South Carolina for a congenital deformity. When a relative of Andrew Butler, Preston Brooks, heard of it, he felt that Sumner's behavior demanded retaliation, but did not quite merit a duel. He therefore beat him senseless on the floor of the Senate with a wooden walking cane.[4] Although this event is commonly known as 'the caning of Senator Charles Sumner', it was not a caning in the normal (esp. British) sense of formal corporal punishment with a much more flexible and usually thinner rattan.