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 Welcome
to my antique canes NewsLetter, the first of 2009. I trust you have all
recovered from Christmas and are looking forward to joining me at The
Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair in Battersea Park. It
is only a few weeks away and it will be your chance to start the New
Year by enhancing your collection with a fine cane or two. To titillate
your interest I will be taking a collection of tall canes: staffs of
office, beadle staffs, drum majors' marching sticks, Georgian dandy canes
with gold and porcelain handles and decorative Alpine hiking staffs.
Please see the picture to give you an idea of how interesting and exciting tall canes can be.
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| EVENTS DIARY |
Your
Company Is Requested ...
The Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair
(20-25 January 2009, London)
To request tickets click here
To print your Battersea ticket click
here
The BADA Antiques & Fine Art Fair
(25-31 March 2009, London)
To request tickets click here
The Spring Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair
(21-26 April 2009, London)
To request tickets click here
Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair
(4 to 14 June 2009, London)
To request tickets click here
The Autumn Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair
(29 September to 4 October 2009, London)
To request tickets click here
The Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair
(16-22 November 2009, London)
To request tickets click here |
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Microscope cane |
I will be taking to Battersea with me an intriguing microscope cane. It has a large silver handle engraved with the monogram of a French marquis. It unscrews in two places to reveal a working microscope and another section which holds tweezers and microscope slides. The entire cane sits upon a tripod base which extends from the ferrule when in use in the field. I trust I have told you enough to excite your interest. |
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We
are seeking...
Can you help? We are looking for canes made from the timber of old ships. Walking sticks were often made from the timber of famous ships that had been decommissioned, run aground or sunk. These include Nelson's ship - The Victory, his flagship - The Foudroyant and also The Royal George, which was sunk with the loss of six hundred men.
In addition we are looking for ships' timber canes from the First and Second World Wars. Do you have any of these canes or similar items? We are looking on behalf of a client and if you have any you wish to sell, please contact me. |
 Cane made from the oak and copper of the Foudroyant after being wrecked off Blackpool in 1897. The copper collar bears image and details of Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson and the ship. |
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 Cane Collector Interview
This issue features an interview with a connoisseur of canes, Dr Marcus Xavier Dahl, Shakespearian scholar and Research Fellow. By day, that is. By night, he assumes his alter ego as John E. Vistic (www.vistic.co.uk), guitar slinging, night stalking purveyor of rock music to the deadbeats of the world. It is this combination of academic and artistic that I have often noticed marks out the interesting type of person that becomes a cane collector.
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Dr Marcus, when did you first become interested in canes? |
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As a young boy, following in my father's footsteps, who was an avid collector of canes and military-edged weapons. |
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Do you think that cane collecting appeals to the rock musician side of your character or to the academic researcher? |
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A good stout staff is the thing for all occasions - to stride through Elgar's country singing hymnals to England or fight off the rudeboys from sitting on one's car - or conduct the band and audience to a cheery sing-along of 'John The Revelator' of an evening in the alehouse. |
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What is your favourite cane? |
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My favourite cane is always my newest acquisition. In this case a superb nineteenth century snakewood item. I am curiously drawn to the quality and balance of the snakewood shaft, coupled with the mystical content of the symbols on the Chinese silver handle. I feel it endows me with a certain dignity and also swagger. And let's face it ... what man could resist that combination? You usually have to buy a Mercedes to feel that good! |
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What is your most amusing incident with a cane? |
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Amusing? Hmmmm... embarrassing, more like! It involves a young lady, a crowded rush hour tube train and an elegant crook handled cane with a malacca shaft. On reflection, I feel that I would prefer to draw a veil of discretion over this rather painful incident. ("...at this point Dr Dahl?") |
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Any advice for other collectors? |
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Yes. Don't carry a sword cane on the public highway. |
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Dr Marcus, can you give us your favourite Shakespearian quote concerning canes or sticks? I am sure there must be many... |
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My favourite reference to a staff is in Ophelia's 'distracted' speech in Hamlet:
Ophelia: How should I your true love know from another one?
By his Cockle hat and staffe, and his Sandal shoone.
The lover here is clearly one of lowly origin - not the Prince of Denmark - as such the song is sung presumably in some despite or (as the stage direction suggests) 'distraction'. |
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Geoffrey
Breeze Antique Canes
Office 262, 3 Edgar Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2FJ
Tel: (+44) 077 404 35844
Email: info@antiquecanes.co.uk
Web: www.antiquecanes.co.uk
Registered in England 6774154
Registered office 52 Hickmans Close, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8EB
Director G E Breeze |
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