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| C012 - Collector's item: a marvellous old bamboo rootknob cane/walking stick.
Very sturdy. Length 36.5 inches (93 cm) Thickness of shank tapers from 1.1 inches (27 mm) down to 0.75 inches (19 mm). | 
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| I was rummaging through a junk stall at a steam fair when I came across an
odd-looking dirty old thing among the broken golf clubs and tattered umbrellas
that always lurk in the far corner. It took a moment before I realised what it
was - and I should explain that this is the normal reaction of anyone coming
across one of these unexpectedly. You are going to see some photos which look
at first glance as though they belong in an obscure medical textbook of the
sort you would rather not know about. But rest assured, this is nothing more
disturbing than a particularly fine example of a bamboo root-knob. "How much do
you want for that?" I said. "What, that ugly old thing?", he said, and
mentioned a figure. I tried not to look as I had been offered a Picasso for a
tenner, paid up, and beat a hasty retreat to a safe distance before stopping to
examine my purchase more closely. It was battered and scarred, but apart from a
missing ferrule there was nothing wrong with it, only one or two little
hairline splits, which is about par for the course. Above all, it was good and
strong and quite straight. I have given it a good feed of linseed oil, cleaned off the surface grime,
polished it up and fitted a new ferrule. So, ladies and gentlemen, if you have prepared yourselves for the shock
(especially the ladies), may I proudly present for your astonishment and
delight the bamboo rootknob cane ...
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| The handle fits the hand beautifully despite being simply the natural shape of
the bamboo root-knob. | 
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| These pits and hollows in the knob are normal and natural features. They don't
interfere with the grip or feel of the stick at all, but do contribute towards
the intriguing appearance. |  |
| The whole stick is covered in little scars and nicks and has a deep patina from
constant handling and use. It's obviously had a long and eventful career, and
has many tales to tell; but it polishes up to a lovely deep shine. It's very
difficult to put a date on something like this. All I can say is that it has
the appearance of being very old, maybe a hundred years or more. Or less, who
knows? | 
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| I have fitted my usual heavy-duty brass ferrule with thick steel base, and as
usual have secured it to the stick with hot-melt glue. This means the ferrule
can be removed and replaced when the need arises without inflicting any damage
on the bamboo, just by applying gentle heat to the tip. | 
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SOLD |