Southwestern Figural Folk Art Cane, c. 1920s-30s
What a delightful walking stick! So many features contribute to its appeal, it’s hard to know where to begin. First, it’s carved from a single piece of wood from the cheeky gila-monster on the handle to the tip of the tapered staff. I say “gila-monster” even though this figural ornament has four toes on each foot instead of five. But I chalk that up to creative license. Besides, gila-monster sounds more interesting than “lizard,” and this is a most interesting piece.
The rectangular staff (1” W and ¾” D at the top) is decorated on all four sides with relief and incised geometric forms: hearts, diamonds, crosshatching and more. As the photos show, each carved “block” is separated by a simple rounded rectangle. Again, the staff is tapered and is a single piece of wood. The workmanship is quite wonderful, and the cane is in excellent condition with no apparent breaks or repairs.
According to the former owner, the piece may have originated in southeastern Arizona. Anonymous maker. 1920s-1930s.
SOLD