Walking Canes - History - Functionality and Fashion Apparel Items

Walking canes were used by men from the middle of the seventeenth century. That is when the age of swords ended and it would seem that the male ego refused to be satisfied without a weapon or rod of authority in his hand. Whatever be the case, history points out that the walking sticks came to be popular by 17^th century and were considered to be an apparel accessory used by men of consequence.

Even if the accessory is called walking cane, it is often made of wood. The Malaccan cane with ivory handle was the pioneer of the modern walking canes. By 1700 these canes assumed an importance and presence that endorsed their owners with style, and social significance. A wide variety of handles made of different materials, which showed the status of the owners came into existence. As a result, these handles were often made of expensive materials like gold, silver, ivory etc. Cane making soon became a highly lucrative industry all over Europe.

The shapes of the handles also were given more whimsical shapes that suited their owners. All sorts of animal and bird shapes were imitated according to the fancy of the owner.

Functionality of walking canes

Even though in the present century walking canes are associated with physical incapacity, in the bygone days they served many purposes. Once they were used as weapons to confront enemies or ward off aggressive animals. Then they were used to conceal weapons like blades, spikes and knives or even fire arms.

Those days the shafts of some of these walking canes contained convenient compartments for carrying different personal necessities like snuff, tobacco, cigars etc. Some of them had compasses, watches, opera glasses or binoculars attached to the handles.

But the most popular use was to exhibit authority or social consequence of the owners. Ladies and gentlemen carried these stylish walking sticks to complement their wardrobe. Many of them owned more than one cane. There were canes for every occasion. The cane a gentleman used when he went for a morning walk was entirely different from the stylish cane made of exotic wood with expensive handles, which he took to a party or the theater. The canes used for rough walking had longer ferrules to cope with muddy terrains.

18^th and 19^th century found walking sticks used mainly as stylish accessories to complement the gentlefolk’s dresses. The canes were made of all kinds of exotic wood. Most of them had fancy ferrules and very quirky handles. There were handles replicating all sorts of things from rounded knobs to animals, birds and flowers.

By the second half of 20^th century the use of walking canes for style slowly came to an end. It began to be used by people with physical disabilities or people incapacitated by old age.

But at present the walking canes have acquired the status of a collectible and people are now in the habit of collecting spectacular and unique walking canes. Most of the collector’s items came from the period between the beginning of 19^th century and the first half of 20^th century.

by Marina Chernyak

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