Antique Collectibles: WALKING STICKS - page 1 - ANTIQUES.CO.UK These canes were used in much the same way as we use a wallet or a purse today and wealthy gentlemen or ladies would have owned several canes to be used for different outings and purposes. When an antique dealer uploads an item for display on Sellingantiques they are requested to make a formal declaration as to the date of its manufacture. System canes, or gadget canes as they are also known, are perhaps the most fascinating and highly collected type of walking sticks. Look no further than our carved lion walking cane. Some of us need support when walking, so we use canes. Of course, the dictates of society have changed drastically since then and the fashionable engagements that filled the days of the well-to-do are far less stringent. Cain used a stick to kill his brother Abel, and some enthusiasts have ventured to suggest that the word "cane" was thusly derived. Incroyables with their walking sticks. Type. That is what makes walking sticks and canes so special and intriguing they not only served as a fashionable accessory, they were also very functional. This category of canes consists of those with a dual or hidden purpose, such as a sword, a whiskey flask and glass, or a walking stick carried by physicians containing scalpels and syringes. Public domain. Sellingantiques.co.uk SL Spain .All antique photos are protected by copyright of individual dealers. Today, very few collectors have had the good fortune of acquiring a set of these rare canes. Centuries ago walking canes were very important accessories that showed the status and the style of a person. Our extensive selection of antique canes offers something for everyone; choose from a decorative wooden cane to folk art pieces featuring carved bone and luxurious Faberg designer canes. HOW TEA CHANGED THE WORLD, In the Spotlight: A Magnificent Frans Hals Rediscovered. They generally lack the attention to aesthetic beauty that once dominated their manufacture. The cane's role as a token of social stature took hold during the 16th and 17th centuries when kings and aristocrats introduced them into society duly encrusted with jewels and precious metals.