Hard Stone Baroque Cane

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Masterpiece Cane Auction 2026

By Kimball Sterling

Jan 3, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-01-03 11:00:00 2026-01-03 11:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Masterpiece Cane Auction 2026 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/kimball-sterling/masterpiece-cane-auction-2026-21759
Masterpiece Cane auction is all from a Europeon collection. We offer items from this private collection about once a year, Kimball Sterling kimballsterling@earthlink.net

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• Lot Description

  Ca. 1800

  This rarely encountered hard stone cane belongs to the short-lived German Romanticism, a period spanning the last quarter of the 18th century and the first years of the 19th century. 

  It stems from inspiration by the legendary canes of King Frederick II, also called Frederick the Great, affectionately generally known as “Der Alte Fritz.”

  The cane features a substantial, single-piece, wheel-cut dendritic chalcedony handle, shaped in a traditional Baroque T-shape with a broader body and asymmetrically curving ends. Unlike similar handles from this era, which were often overloaded with engraved decorative elements, this one remains plain, likely to highlight its natural dendritic inclusions and help their striking colors stand out against a surprising, mystical translucency. Likely, the comfort of the wearer's hand was also considered here. 

  In any case, the handle fits comfortably in the hand and has an irresistibly smooth, almost soothing, addictive, and refreshing feel. It features a simple silver collar with worn, graffiti-like initials and a top-quality malacca shaft with a prominent high ridge that defines the attractive teardrop profile, extending along its surface to a four-inch-long white metal ferrule, notable for its natural, rich hues and gloss-aged surface. 

  Handles carved from such tough stones were notoriously difficult to produce and required highly skilled lapidaries; consequently, pieces of this caliber were the preserve of the aristocratic and cultivated elite.

  Everything a discerning collector could desire, this seemingly simple yet profoundly sophisticated cane captures the essence of quality. It stands as a compelling representative of the rare and treasured early German hard-stone walking sticks, encapsulating the spirit and artistry of Baroque cane craftsmanship.

  H. 5” x 2”, O.L. 35”

  $700 - $1,200

  Friedrich II of Prussia (1712–1786), known as Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great), was one of Europe’s most influential Enlightenment monarchs. A gifted flutist and composer, he cultivated a court culture centered on music, philosophy, and the fine arts. Although remembered primarily as a military strategist and reformer, Friedrich also possessed a marked personal taste for refined objects. He assembled an extraordinary collection of jeweled snuffboxes, many lavishly set with precious stones, which reveals his appreciation for exquisite craftsmanship and decorative luxury. Equally distinctive was his lifelong fondness for walking canes. He is depicted in nearly all his portraits carrying a cane, often with elegantly curved handles, an accessory that became so closely associated with him that this style later took the nickname Fritzkrücke (“Fritz handle”).

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