1. Hard Stone, Jeweled, and Enameled Cane Ca. 1870
Substantial turquoise knob fashioned from a single stone in a ball shape, with a smooth, polished, plain surface revealing the mesmerizing opaque blue color and beautiful natural dark veins. The turquoise ball is graced by a silver-gilt cylindrical collar with calibrated round garnet cabochons alternating with matched turquoise ones, all individually set in raised bezels and backgrounds, with delicately chased scrolls embellished with colored cold enamel. In addition, the collar is framed with two integral rings: the upper one struck with the rarely seen Austrian Lion Head silver hallmark with the letter “A” for Vienna and the number “4” for the control office in Ybbs, and the lower one with two hardly noticeable, obscured maker marks. The knob comes on a beautifully streaked and richly hued Coromandel shaft, occasionally called Makassar Ebony, and a metal ferrule. A characteristic sense of luxury shines through this exquisite cane, which distills pretty much of the traditional, revival jewelry of that part of the world and epitomizes the artistic eclecticism of the Austro-Hungarian court. It was part of the assets owned by the same original Viennese noble family for over one and a half centuries, remaining intact and only needing some surface cleaning. Frequently seen as mascots and likely to be indi- vidually chosen for personal reasons, canes with hard stone ball knobs became popular in the last quarter of the 19th Century, reaching their peak around 1920. Their varieties make them fantastic and decorative collectibles. Notably, turquoise is a powerful stone of protec- tion for both the physical and spiritual realms. H. 1 ½” Diameter, O.L. 34 ¼”
$700-$900
6 - Long Before Our Days, Canes Were Already Collcted
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