43. All Snake Wood Cane
Ca. 1900 Single-piece snake wood cane with an inte- gral and beautifully curving crook handle and a horn ferrule. The sculptural profile is emphasized by the natural reddish-brown color, with contrasting darker brown, almost black patches that create the characteristic snakeskin pattern of this rarest and most valuable of all timbers. Notably, the simple appearance of this cane belies its excessively sophis- ticated manufacturing, which has long
fascinated scholarly collectors. Incredibly rare and absolutely magnificent, it survived in mint and original condition, with an addictive smooth surface, and is a celebration of individual craftsmanship and design. H. 4 ½” wide, O.L. 34 ¾”
$500-$600
Creating single-piece hardwood canes with crooked handles is considered one of the most challenging tasks for cane makers. Only a select few succeeded in achieving this feat, primarily focusing their efforts in Paris and Vienna, the cities with the highest recorded concentration of cane manufacturers. Obviously, the significant challenges were obtaining the re- quired flowless material in a nearly 45" length and mastering the art of bending the steel-like, tough timber without causing damage to its smooth fiber structure. The blank should have its rings aligned at an angle with the board, which can complicate matters beyond comprehension. This assumes that the blank must be cut from a straight-grown and quarter-sawn stem, and you'll be fortunate to get away with 90% cuts. Best of luck!
90 - Continental Cane Collection Auction
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker