*Continental - British, Late 19th Century, Figural Fez-Head Gentleman’s Walking Stick, Carved Shaft*
A characterful late Victorian walking stick featuring a cast metal figural handle in the form of a moustached man wearing a fez. The head is well modelled with pronounced cheeks, stylised moustache and facial features, and the distinctive fez cap with rear tassel detail. The metal retains a mellow aged patina.
The shaft is formed from dark stained hardwood and carved with a series of geometric panels including lattice-style motifs running along the length, giving the stick a decorative and tactile surface. The handle has good weight in the hand, typical of novelty figural canes of the late Victorian period, which were sometimes designed to serve as a defensive walking stick.
Approx. Measurements – Overall length: 87 cm. Head height: 7 cm.
History Note:
Figural walking sticks became highly fashionable in Europe during the late 19th century, with makers producing a wide range of novelty handles depicting animals, caricatured figures, and exotic themes. Heads representing figures in Ottoman dress, particularly wearing the fez, reflect the period’s fascination with “Orientalist” imagery and travel culture. Such canes were typically sold through gentleman’s outfitters and luxury goods retailers across Britain and the Continent.
*Condition*
Good overall antique condition. The metal head shows age-related wear and surface patina. The carved wooden shaft retains its original dark finish with areas of rubbing and small losses to the lacquer. Ferrule missing. Structurally sound. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
JAQ#3025C0_4765236962
