C004 - Collector's item: a slim turned mahogany knobstick.
Length 35 inches (89 cm)
Another find from the Cotswolds antique shops. In this case, the sheer simplicity and elegance caught my eye. The stick is turned from a single piece of mahogany and is completely free of any form of decoration.
Despite the very slender appearance it is quite strong and rigid and of medium weight, nicely balanced.
There is a small amount of wear and tear around the knob, but I reckon it's in very good condition for the mileage. I would guess it dates from about 1900 to 1920 - but then I'm no expert.
The shank tapers quite evenly throughout its length. The smooth, dark red-brown
wood is nicely marked with darker cross-banding with depth and movement when
the light catches it, and the surface has a nice patina.
This stick is a joy to handle, sliding through the hand like silk.
A truly elegant stick which is good to look at, handles superbly, yet is tough enough for daily use.
SOLD
N.B. I would be very reluctant to shorten this stick - it's perfectly balanced and proportioned just as it is!
(The trouble is, any collectable stick will pass through many hands in its lifetime. It won't get bought by a stick-user who is too tall for it, but it could well come into the hands of someone who is too short for it, and get cut down to size. The next time it comes onto the market the proportion of too-tall would-be purchasers is greater. Eventually it will fall into the hands of a very short person indeed and will become unusable by anyone else. I don't want that to happen to this one.)