C061 - Collector's item: a malacca walking stick/cane with hidden gadget. The plastic duck's-head knob detaches from the cane revealing a corkscrew. Probably dates from late 1950s or early 1960s.
Approx. dimensions:
Overall length 33.75" / 855mm
Diameter of shaft 3/4" / 28mm,
Light weight, medium strength.
A freely-rotating pin at the base of the head carries a split ring, possibly for attachment of a cord or to hang the stick on a wall. The duck's head fits over the shaft snugly but can be pulled off, revealing it to be a corkscrew. The chrome-plated steel corkscrew is firmly mounted in the base of the head and is perfectly usable.
The top couple of inches of the shaft are hollow to accommodate the corkscrew, the top of the shaft being reinforced with a bush of white plastic. The shaft itself is almost straight and is made from segmented malacca cane with the husk left on, displaying the typical slight ridge running the length of each segment. The diamond-shaped scars in the husk are also typical of malacca, revealing the darker colours of the hard surface underneath.
The original ferrule was missing and I have replaced it with a slightly-used steel-tipped brass one secured with hot-melt glue for ease of future replacement. The overall style, choice of materials and evidence of moderate usage suggest to me that this stick dates from the late 1950s or early 60s.
An unusual gadget stick from a period rather under-represented in most collectors' stick stands.
Now just £20 GBP to clear