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THBMariner Portrait Cane
About Seller
125 West Market Street
Johnson City, TN 37604
United States
Family-owned and family-run Johnson City Tennessee auction business for 25 years. Selling antiques and collectables for 38 years. Kimball M. Sterling, Inc. was founded and is owned by Kimball and Victoria Sterling, time and again, they have laid solid claim to world-wide attention and renown with an...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
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| $100 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
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About Auction
LiveJan 3, 2026
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
View Full Catalog (89)
- Lot Description
American, ca. 1880
Fashioned from a substantial piece of blond buffalo horn, or possibly baleen, this remarkable cane features a handle naturalistically carved as the head of a seasoned mariner. The figure is rendered with striking individuality, a bearded face with a frozen gaze, knotted ponytail, and jaunty boater, imbuing the piece with a vivid sense of character and life.
The carving, rich in expression and finely detailed, displays a dark surface that, against the light, reveals a craquelé structure and shimmering color. It bears a mellow age patina that enhances its warmth and authenticity.
The handle comes on a malacca shaft fitted with a plain silver band collar and a matching ferrule, lending an understated elegance that complements the sculptural head above.
Distinctive and perhaps unique, the cane likely served as a personal emblem rather than a mere accessory. It may have been commissioned by a whaleman or, more romantically, carved as a self-portrait by a retired mariner, an artifact of pride and memory, rooted in the traditions of American maritime life.
In any case, it has a certain authenticity, the sculptural, bold outlines, a particular individuality of spirit, and the touch of peculiarity we most admire and cherish in folk art.
H. 2 ½” x 1 ¾”, O.L. 34 ¼”
$600-$900
Marine canes are deeply connected to the traditions of seafaring and maritime trade, offering a window into the lives of those who spent years at sea.
In the 19th century, when canes were worn as symbols of style and distinction, whalemen and sailors often carved them during long voyages, transforming discarded whale bone or baleen into keepsakes for loved ones or items to trade back home.
Rooted in the scrimshaw tradition, these creations speak of patience, artistry, and a longing for home.
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