5. Rolled Gold Art Nouveau Cane
Ca. 1900 Fashioned with an elegantly elongated profile, the knob rises to a gently flared oval top, centered by a corresponding blank shield. At first glance, its smooth, lustrous surface suggests quiet refinement, but look closer, and a world of detail comes into focus. A subtle ribbed texture enhances both grip and light play, while fluidly sculpted edges sweep downward from a pronounced crown, softening as they flow toward the base. On either side, delicately hand-chased branches hang in lyrical symmetry, adorned with finely engraved leaves and clusters of berries. The craftsmanship is exquisite, celebrating natural forms rendered with breathtaking precision and finesse. So skillfully modeled is the surface, finished in or amati, the French method of matted gold, that it seems to retain the very memory of the artist’s touch: alive with motion, yet perfectly still. Though marked by an unidentified symbol, an enigmatic square, the knob is mounted on a richly colored, tightly-grained coral rosewood shaft, a rare variety valued for both beauty and density. Completing the design is a shellac French- polished surface, the finest of polishes, with a long, well-matched horn ferrule, anchoring the piece with subtle strength. This cane is a triumph of French elegance and cultural distinction. It has the star power to captivate not only aesthetes and art collectors, but also devoted rabologists. Remarkably, it has endured in flawless condition, an object cherished across time. If only the finest will do, your search ends here. H. 4” x 1 ½”, O.L. 39 ¼”
$800-$1,200
At the end of the 19th century, Art Nouveau swept away all the obsessions with the past, which had been endlessly copied and recopied. Artists dared to finally free themselves from the conventional bourgeois art of the Second . However, the past still served as their inspiration; they invented new structures that were less symmetrical, with new lines, this time, thin and sinuous. The themes remained unchanged but were viewed from a different perspective. It was, in many ways, a response to the Industrial Revolution. Some artists welcomed technological progress and embraced the aesthetic potential of new materials such as cast iron. Others deplored the shoddiness of mass-produced machine-made goods and aimed to elevate the decorative arts to the level of fine art by applying the highest standards of craftsmanship and design to everyday objects. Art Nouveau designers believed that all the arts should work together in harmony to create a “total work of art,” or Gesamtkunstwerk. Buildings, furniture, textiles, clothing, jewelry, and canes all conformed to the principles of Art Nouveau.
Continental Cane Collection Auction - 15
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