Walking stick (3) - Wood

Three walking canes: 1 Alpine, characterized by a curved handle and a metal tip. It is made of beech wood and features a curved grip, decorated with decorative plates. The lower end is equipped with a metal point, useful for rough terrain or as a hiking staff. The cane bears 5 souvenir metal emblems applied to the shaft, commemorating towns, castles, or regions visited. This decorated cane is datable to the 1920s/30s. The plates feature: Il Passo Falzarego at 2117 meters, an Alpine pass in Veneto, in the province of Belluno, located a few kilometers south of the border with Trentino-Alto Adige, between Lagazuoi and Sass de Stria, which connects the upper Agordino with Cortina d'Ampezzo and the valley of the Boite via the state road 48 of the Dolomites. Il Passo Pordoi at 2250 meters, an Alpine pass of the Dolomites located at 2,239 m above sea level, on the border between Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige, situated between the Gruppo del Sella to the north and the Marmolada group to the south, toward the Tofane 3241 meters, a mountain massif of the Dolomites eastern chain (Dolomiti Ampezzane), west of Cortina d'Ampezzo and northwest of San Vito di Cadore, whose highest peak rises to 3244 m above sea level, and Col di Lana 2460 meters, a mountain (2,452 meters) of the Dolomites. It is located in the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana (Belluno), between the Cordevole valley and Falzarego pass. Dobbiaco, is an Italian municipality of 3,485 inhabitants in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Trentino-Alto Adige; it is a “Three Peaks” municipality, together with the municipalities of Auronzo di Cadore, Sesto, San Candido. Misurina 1755 meters, a locality situated near the homonymous lake, not far from Cortina d'Ampezzo and surrounded by the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Monte Piana, Cristallo - Piz Popena, the Cadini di Misurina and Sorapiss. Val Gardena, Ortisei 1227 meters, is an Italian municipality of 4,719 inhabitants in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Trentino-Alto Adige. It is also a market town, as well as the main inhabited center and most densely populated in Val Gardena. These vintage emblems are made of silvered metal or stamped light alloy and were fixed with small nails to wooden canes as a memory of the passes or refuges visited. This cane was used by hikers to decorate their walking stick with emblems of the places reached, acting as trophies or mementos. Size: 92 cm long. Two walking canes consisting of: the first is made entirely of solid mahogany wood. It features an “goose beak” or inverted U curved handle, carved from a single branch and worked by heat. The central body is smooth, with a slight taper toward the base. The wood has a glossy varnish that has developed a patina from use over time. At the lower end it has a protective metal tip (iron or other alloy), a functional element essential to reduce wear of the wood in contact with the ground. The object dates to the first half of the 20th century (Art Deco). It is a day-use walking cane intended for the urban middle bourgeoisie. Size: 90 cm long. The second: a light and elegant walking cane, characterized by a slender silhouette. It is composed of straight segments punctuated by protruding and evenly spaced nodes, typical of the natural structure of the plant used. It has a warm coloration, yellow-ochre or honey, with a glossy surface. The handle is curved into a semicircle (goose beak shape or inverted U). At the end of the curve there is a small rounded knob carved directly from the knotty root of the plant, slightly worked or carved. At the end there is a protective wooden dark tip, essential to preserve the integrity of the shaft during walking. The cane is made of bamboo (Malacca reed). This material was chosen for its extraordinary physical properties: extreme lightness combined with notable flexibility and load resistance, plus the fact that the hollow core makes it an almost weightless accessory during walking. The piece is datable to the first half of the 20th century. Bamboo and exotic cane canes enjoyed immense popularity around the Art Deco era in the 1920s/30s. They were considered the perfect “day” or “summer” canes, preferred to heavy woods for countryside walks, seaside locations, or city parks. The work and assembly, the hot bending of the handle, and the very common tip application in French manufactories of the period. It was an accessory intended for the middle and upper bourgeoisie, used as informal, sporty, or seasonal attire. The end of the handle reveals a very particular and fascinating workmanship. The root section (or the basal collar of the plant), naturally knobby, rough, and rich in protuberances, was used. This portion has been partially smoothed and carved to create an ergonomic knob, whose organic dark texture pleasantly contrasts with the smooth, golden surface of the rest of the shaft. Size: 90 cm long.