Partridge Dagger Cane

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Masterpiece Cane Auction

By Kimball Sterling

May 24, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-05-24 11:00:00 2025-05-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Masterpiece Cane Auction https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/kimball-sterling/masterpiece-cane-auction-19479
A European Masterpiece Cane Auction Kimball Sterling kimballsterling@earthlink.net

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• Lot Description
  Ca. 1880 Tiny and plain Milord silver knob on a plain partridge shaft heeled with a metal ferrule. The slender handle with nearly ½” diameter detaches from the shaft through a precise locking device activated by a tiny push button delicately buried in the plain brass collar covering the breaking line. With a straight pull, the cane breaks in two parts 4 ½” down from the top to release a 12 ¾” tall, slender, angular blade with a pointed tip. Fashioned of tempered steel, the blade is hollowed on the larger two sides to reduce weight and increase stiffness. Furthermore, it is enhanced with vibrantly hued surface blueing highlighted with extensive gold-painted scrolls. An unassuming, harmless profile marks this cane; it has a sense of silence and is not aggressive. The maximized degree to which its nature is disguised boosts its appeal. In addition, it enjoys the merits of total integrity and a rarely-seen freshness to the blade. Judging on the quality of the blade and its locking mechanism, this cane is French and, thus far, without anything like, must have been a specific commission to the "MAS" Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles de Saint-Étienne. The MAS was a French state-owned manufacturing company located in the town of Saint-Étienne. It has since been merged into the state-owned Nexter defense conglomerate. Saint-Étienne was already well-known for producing swords and knives since the Middle Ages. In 1665, a Royal Arms Depot was created in Paris to store military weapons made in Saint-Étienne. The few surviving manufacturers banded together at the close of the 1900s to establish the “Manufacture Francaise d’Armes et Cycles de Saint-Étienne.” They successfully launched a new direct retail business for individuals using an extensive catalog with hundreds of fully illustrated pages featuring all kinds of goods, including an extensive selection of canes. On the left is an illustration from the 1905 catalog featuring one of the pages with canes. H. ½” x ¼”, O.L. 33 ½” $900-$1,200 Ulrich Klever, the German legendary and seasoned cane collector, author, and publisher, once expressed a profound belief: canes possess a soul that transcends their monetary value, and this sentiment resonates deeply in this context. Antique canes and walking sticks are more than just the sum of their parts; they directly reflect the gentlemen and ladies who owned them. Whether a finely chased gold handle or the handle design top, the walking stick conceals a cigarette lighter, handy writing tools, or a lethal blade, each handle offers its unique style and purpose. And, that’s what makes walking sticks and canes so unique and intriguing—they not only served as fashionable accessories, but they were also very functional. Every cane in our collection was a personal object with a hidden history. A slight note regarding the manufacturing methodology of sword canes appears essential. Besides the decorative effect, blades were blued to create steel that resists dampness and rust, a method initially used on firearms. The push button clutch is the best-performing dual-locking mechanism to prevent accidents. It is delicate and requires skilled hands for precise adjustment and smooth function.
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