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This is my grandfather's cane or walking stick. He was British and went out to China in 1901 to work in the Chinese Postal Service (one for the spoils for the European's after the Opium Wars as they forced their influence upon the Emperor and later the Emperess).
The cane is probably from when he first went there and wanted to look his best within the British society that he was a part of, so it is most likely over 100 years old. It is finished in black lacquer, has a silver tip on the bottom and his initials are monogrammed into the top in sterling silver. He only put the M and S but his full name was quite upper class, it was Melton Edwin Arthur Lionel Summers.
I think he used it rarely as it is in almost unused condition. It is something I treasure!
In later life he used a more everyday walking stick but it did have a silver top knob and I have memories of him walking with it in the 1960's before his health failed. One could tell he knew how to use it as he had a certain rhythm as he walked with the tip kicking up in the air in between every other step. Close to 50 years ago and I can still picture him in my mind as he walked.
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