Object Description
A decorative antique Russian silver gilt and agate handled walking cane, Circa 1880 in date.
It has a beautiful cylindrical agate pommel topped with a decorative silver gilt lizard, with ruby eyes, made with great attention to detail, above a sturdy cedar wood tapering shaft.
The silver gilt bears the Russian silver mark 84. As from 1798, the 84 zolotniki (.875) standard replaced 72 zolotniki as the legal minimum standard. The standard for Russian silver is measured in zolotniks.
It is a lovely item and as such would be appreciated by any collector of walking sticks or canes.
Condition:
In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 88 cm x Width 4 cm x Depth 4 cm
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 foot, 11 inches x Width 2 inches x Depth 2 inches
Size of cane that you need
Convert your height into inches. For example, if you are 5′ 10” in your shoes, your height is 70 inches. Divide by two and then add ½ inch to determine your approximate cane size.In our example, if you are 70 inches tall (5′ 10”), your approximate cane size would be 35” plus ½”= 35.5 inches.
Agate
is the name given to numerous varieties of banded Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. Its name comes from the Achetes River in Sicily, where Agates were first found. Usually banded in layers, or stripes, some varieties have “eye” markings, or specks of colour, some have fossilized inclusions, and others are solid. Called the earth rainbow, the concentric bands of Agate form in nearly every colour the earth can produce, including a colourless form. There are various types of agate like: Blue Lace, Crazy Lace, Dendritic, Fire, Laguna & Moss.
Historically, Agate has been discovered with the artifacts of Neolithic people, and was used as healing amulets and ornamentation dating back to Babylon. Its medicinal uses continued through the ancient Greek and Egyptian civilizations, and spread throughout Africa and the Middle East into Russia. Agate sparked a world renowned stonecutting and polishing industry in Germany that flourished from the 15th to the 19th century, and exists today.
Meaning: Agate promotes inner stability, composure, and maturity. Its warm, protective properties encourage security and self-confidence. Agate stops the burning desires for things we do not need, and assists those juggling commitments or multiple jobs. Agate is useful as a protection amulet when traveling, and is especially effective against traffic accidents.
Our reference: A4183