C059 - Collector's item: a Victorian horn walking stick/cane with eagle-head handle
The eagle's eyes are inlaid dots of a darker material, probably also horn. On either side of the base of the handle there is a pair of dots, each inside a small circle. I have no idea what these are meant to represent. (If anything - they just might be horn pins inserted as part of the constuction, but to me they look more like decoration applied with the tip of a spur-and-lip drill.)
Between each section of horn making up the shaft is a thin brass disc. When the stick came into my possession, it had no ferrule and the unprotected tip was worn and split. I have fitted a new steel-tipped brass ferrule and polished this up to complement the appearance of the stick.
Like most of these horn sticks it's not very practical as the thin metal rod inside is too flexible to provide much support. However it's certainly a very striking fashion accessory.
A very attractive and unusual horn stick, in better condition than most I've seen.