children’s canes & walking sticks

from the estate collection

a fashion statement

Walking sticks and canes were very popular during the Victorian period not only for men and women, but also for children. They were a fashion accessory, and people often had several canes or walking sticks to accent their attire. Walking sticks and canes were a status symbol and represented wealth. This was true even for children. These fanciful accessories were not used to help a child with a disability to walk as much as they were used to show a family’s wealth and power.

As you can see in this very old photo, the child, who is all dressed up to have his photo taken, is holding a cane. I found this photo, and a few more, in the estate collection of children’s canes. It does help show how important a cane was as a fashion accessory, even for children, during the Victorian era.

embellished

Even children’s canes were embellished and decorated with fanciful materials, or they were made from exotic woods. In the photo showing a variety of children’s canes and walking sticks, note that the second cane from the left has a whalebone, opera-shaped handle attached to a wood shaft. The fifth walking stick from the left has a knob- shaped handle of a brass eagle’s claw holding an egg; the cane to the far right has an opera-shaped handle made of horn. The crook handled canes appear to be made of fine exotic wood.

I have been authorized by the estate to sell these children’s canes. The fair-market-value is $125.00 each.

I was fortunate to be able to frame two adult “gadget” canes from the mid-1800s - one held a very rare 39 star flag; the other was a Mortician’s walking stick, which encased a measuring ruler that assisted the mortician in measuring the size of a body so that he would be able to make a coffin. I posted pictures and brief stories of these canes under custom framing.

The Art Loft Gallery, LTD., a locally owned and operated business in Collinsville, Illinois, has been open since 1984. In addition to offering custom picture framing services, The Art Loft Gallery, LTD. is an authorized dealer for renowned artist, Patricia Buckley Moss, and also has a wide variety of antiques and giftware for sale. Come in for a unique shopping experience and enjoy a cup of Starbucks and a cookie while you shop. Contact Us