Over 760 beautiful color photographs display hundreds of canes & walking sticks that span centuries and a multitude of designs. Elegant formal styles include handles of gold, silver, and ivory. Innovative system sticks display a vast array of objects hidden within their shafts and handles (including a working violin). Fascinating relic canes were produced from shipwrecks and historical sites. Forbidding Memento Mori canes and exotic forms represent dozens of nations around the globe. Folk art sticks bear decorations as unique as the artists who created them. This wide-ranging volume weaves historical tales through the narrative, bringing walking sticks to life in the reader's imagination. Additionally, discussions of walking stick anatomy, care, etiquette, and valuation are included, along with an extensive bibliography and index. Values for the canes displayed are found in the captions. This book will be enjoyed by every walking stick collector and a fascinating read for all who have been intrigued by the romance of walking sticks.
