Wooden Vintage Walking Sticks & Canes

Wooden Vintage Walking Sticks and Canes

From the 17th century to the early 20th century, wooden walking sticks were widely used. While they could be used on long hikes and for people with disabilities, most people used them to make a fashion statement. There were many different types available such as gold plated wooden walking sticks, knob-style wooden walking sticks, and more.

Almost all wooden vintage walking sticks and canes have four basic parts. At the top, there is the handle. Right below that is the collar that joins the handle to the rest of the stick. The main part of the stick is called the shaft. The tip on the end of the shaft is called the ferrule.

Vintage walking sticks and canes made from wood are often divided into three different categories:

• Folk art: Ranging from the 17th century to the early 20th century, the folk art canes were usually made by individual carvers who often revealed something about themselves when creating a design.
• Decorative: These choices were made from a variety of materials and were designed to look pretty when carried. An example is the sterling silver top wooden cane, which combined metal with wood. Carved sticks and canes made from wood fell into this category, too.
• Gadget or system: These choices usually had a removable handle where an item could be inserted.

There were at least three common types of gadget or system options including:

• Professional canes: These were designed to hide the tools that a professional needed to take care of their business. For example, a surgeon's canes often hid a scalpel, a tailor's cane often hid a needle and thread, and a writer's cane contained pen and paper.
• City canes: This antique option often contained supplies like cigarettes or dice.
• Weapon canes: From blow darts to shotguns to pepperbox revolvers, this option hid some type of weapon.

While some folk art creators got creative with their handles, generally canes contained:

• Knob: A circular shape designed to fit securely in the palm of the hand.
• T-shape: Designed to look like the letter T.
• Crook: Designed to look like a shepherd's rod.
• Pistol: The handle of these canes pulled out and was also the grip of the pistol.
• Crutch: Designed for people with arthritis or another ailment.
• Opera: This handle appeared very similar to a T-shape, but it had a shorter front.