These items have been sold, and the description, image and price ($US) are for reference purposes only.

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... sticks, the best known being the sword. Sword sticks date back to the sixteenth century, and often the sword just slides out with the stick acting as a sheath. Other sword and knife designs had a spring mechanism and would release on the press of a button or lever.

Other sticks pull apart, revealing a dagger with a handle for the left hand, and a stick with a blade for the right hand. Two steel blades sliding into the shaft from each end probably represent duelling weapons. The poacher's gun was a simple weapon in the shape of a walking stick; more sophisticated was a six-barrelled revolver, exposed by pressure on a trigger-spring that expelled part of the cane, and which had a dagger in the centre of the barrels.

Most extravagant was the machine-gun in a rectangular cane. "The kit", as it was 'known, was a pocket violin; this was developed into a violin fitted into a cane with a two-inch (5cm) diameter. Other canes contained music-boxes, harmonicas, flutes, piccolos, pipes (including opium pipes), vesta boxes, cigarette holders, candles, battery torches (dating from as early as 1882), contraceptives, poison, and a whole tribe of canes known as working companions (scalpels for doctors, small spades for botanists, safety lamps for miners). Among the most curious is the voyeur's cane with a mirror above the ferrule enabling the user to look up women's skirts. less...

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... the wealthier classes. However silver handled canes have survived in large numbers, and exhibit a wide variety of decorative treatment, from the comparatively plain, armorial or regimental style to the more flamboyant excesses of Art Nouveau.

Carved handles can be found depicting grotesque animal or human forms, and are highly prized nowadays. Also keenly sought are multi-purpose canes, with a concealed spirit flask, tobacco pipe or even a tiny fire-arm for personal safety. less...

An antique walking stick with carved whale's tooth handle,…
Antique Walking Stick with Whale's Tooth Handle and Baleen Spacers

An antique walking stick with carved whale's tooth handle, baleen, casuarina and honeysuckle spacers, on a whalebone shaft, 19th century, 33.27 in. high

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An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle, baleen…
19th Century Whalebone Walking Stick with Whale's Tooth Handle

An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle, baleen spacers and whalebone shaft, 19th century, 34.65 in. high

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An antique segmented walking stick with whale tooth handle and…
19th Century Whale Tooth Handled Walking Stick with Baleen Insets

An antique segmented walking stick with whale tooth handle and shaft interspersed with baleen and tortoiseshell, 19th century. 28.54 in. high

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An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle carved with…
Maritime Crest Whale Tooth Walking Stick, 19th Century

An antique walking stick with whale's tooth handle carved with maritime crest, with baleen spacer, ebony shaft and brass ferrule, 19th century, 36.81 in. high

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A walking stick, made from baleen segments, 19th century, 86.5…
Baleen Walking Stick, 19th Century

A walking stick, made from baleen segments, 19th century, 34.06 in. high

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A walking stick, stingray vertebrate and baleen, 19th century,…
19th Century Baleen and Stingray Walking Stick

A walking stick, stingray vertebrate and baleen, 19th century, 35.04 in. high

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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 35.43…

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A shepherds crook walking cane, horn ivory and baleen with…
19th Century Horn and Ivory Shepherd's Crook Walking Cane

A shepherds crook walking cane, horn ivory and baleen with brass ferrule, 19th century, 33.07 in. high

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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, 33.46 in. high

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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, 34.65 in. high

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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 35.04 in.

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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

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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

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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 m

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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 34.65 in. longs

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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 38.19 in. long

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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

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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

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Full baleen walking stick
Baleen Cane: A Unique Walking Companion

Full baleen walking stick

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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, 34.65 in. long

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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

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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, 30.71 in. long

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Whalebone & baleen walking stick with facetted handle, 92 cm
Facetted whalebone walking stick, 92cm

Whalebone & baleen walking stick with facetted handle, 36.22 in.

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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. 31.89 in. long

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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. 32.68 in. long

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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, 33.07 in. long

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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, 32.28 in. long

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A whalebone baleen and carved wood cane, 19th century, turned…
19th Century Whalebone and Wood Carved Cane

A whalebone baleen and carved wood cane, 19th century, turned ridded fish scale and spiral carved, 32.68 in. long

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A baleen and whalebone cane, 19th century, 73 cm long
19th Century Baleen and Whalebone Cane

A baleen and whalebone cane, 19th century, 28.74 in. long

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A fist spiral and fish scale carved whalebone and baleen cane,…
Whalebone and Baleen Cane with Spiral and Scales

A fist spiral and fish scale carved whalebone and baleen cane, 19th century, 35.04 in. long

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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, 31.89 in. long

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A fist carved whalebone, baleen and turned wood cane, 19th…
Whalebone Cane with Fist Carving

A fist carved whalebone, baleen and turned wood cane, 19th century, 32.68 in. long

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A faceted cube whalebone and baleen walking cane, 19th century,…
Faceted Whalebone and Baleen Walking Cane, 19th Century

A faceted cube whalebone and baleen walking cane, 19th century, 35.83 in. long

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A whalebone, baleen and spiral carved cane, 19th century, 78 cm…
19th Century Whalebone and Baleen Spiral Cane

A whalebone, baleen and spiral carved cane, 19th century, 30.71 in. long

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