Baleen cane with antler grip

cane

SCRIMSHAW & ALLIED ARTS - CANES
marad; scrimshaw
baleen; metal; bone (antler)
38 in. H x 1 3/4 in. (handle width) x 3/4 in. (widest shaft dimension)

A cane or walking stick from the estate of Capt. John Orrin Spicer with an antler grip on a baleen shaft; tapered shaft carved from two pieces of baleen, their shaped, flat surfaces fastened with 27 small metal rivets along their length; the outer edges are chamfered; the grip fits over a dowel shaped topmost section of the baleen; beneath that, a rectangular section, the ‘collar’, is pierced with a hole, possibly intended for a wrist cord, and is loosely encircled by a woven band of narrow baleen strips; the lower section does not show evidence of a ferrule and insect damage is visible on the tip.

1956.921