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Tradewinds Antiques, Salem, Massachusetts

Cane Sets Record at Tradewinds

by Susan Mellish

Some may say it is a risk to specialize in the antiques auction business, to limit one's offerings, to hold only two sales a year. Not Henry Taron of Tradewinds Antiques, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. May 6 marked Tradewinds' 28th semiannual all-cane live auction, and not only was it a success, a record was set. A 17th-century English ivory cane with silver piqué work and silver overlay set a North American record for a single cane sold at auction when it realized $45,920 (includes buyer's premium).

The record cane had an elephant ivory handle, 3¾" high x 1 1/3" in diameter, decorated with piqué hollow dots, silvery string inlay, and silver overlay of a large bird, a cat, butterflies, flowers, and leaves. Adding to its appeal, the eyelets that pierced the ivory were rimmed in large blossoms. The handle had a ¾" silver scalloped collar, and the shaft was of dark Malacca that terminated in a 4½" brass ferrule. Taron stated that the 36¼" cane was the finest ivory piqué cane the auction house has encountered.

Taron added, "The cane went to a collector, and it broke our own auction house's record for a single cane sold, which was established in 2001 when a Purkins folk art cane made $26,880."

Though this circa 1675 cane was the sale's show-stopper, other wonderful canes were sold at the new venue, the Salem Waterfront Hotel in historic Salem, Massachusetts. More than 215 lots were presented with several pieces from the collection of the late Philip Hampton, the collection of attorney Martin Cohen, and several selections from a fine southern collection.

The name Tiffany is synonymous with elegance and style, and in the world of antique canes this is especially true. A Tiffany cane of fruitwood, ivory, and silver came in at $14,000. The handle was in a loop design with carvings of Classical scrolls enhanced with two ivory faces of women in period dress. The silver portion under the handle had the same scrolling decoration, the owner's initials, and a blown-out portion crafted of acanthus leaves. The 37¼" long shaft was made of hardwood that ended in a 1-1/3" white metal and iron ferrule. Marked "Tiffany & C. Sterling," the cane also bore the "M" mark for 1875-91.

Another Tiffany cane, featuring a wonderful, classic Art Deco handle of silver and enamel, made $13,440. The handle, 3" long x 7/8" in diameter, was decorated with four long-stemmed chrysanthemums that came together at the top, with each of the four blossoms further enhanced with a round red enamel center. Even more color was added to the handle by four pale aqua enamel teardrops on the panels between each of the flower stems. It was inscribed "Tiffany & Co. Makers, Sterling" around the rim and at the base of the handle, along with the "C" mark for 1902-07. Like many Tiffany canes, the handle could be removed from a threaded base mount on the shaft. The overall length of the cane was 34-7/8" with the shaft being of ebony and ending in a 1" white metal ferrule. Completing this lot was the cane's original green felt cloth sleeve with an oblong patch marked "Tiffany & Co., New York," as well as the cane's original long cardboard carrying box marked "Tiffany & Co., Fifth Avenue, New York."

One appealing aspect to collecting canes is the different examples that can be had. There are Tiffany canes, like those mentioned above; canes with a nautical theme; and canes that fall into the "gadget" category. There are relic canes, gun canes, presentation canes, phrenology canes, those whose handles are snuffboxes, those that fall into the erotica category-collecting antique canes is anything but dull.

A nautical cane that sold strong was an ivory and narwhal example that featured a one-piece walrus ivory handle, 2½" high x 2" at its widest point, carved to resemble a right hand clenched in a fist. The only other embellishment on the handle was a 2/3" wide decorated coin silver collar with crimping that matched the twisting design of the narwhal shaft. Two oval eyelets for a rawhide cord were positioned a few inches below the silver collar, and the 37½" cane naturally tapered to a dull point. Thought to be American, circa 1840, it made $10,640.

A very active area of cane collecting is weapon canes. A Remington dog-head gun cane curio in fine working order sold for $10,080. The handle, 2-1/3" high x 3¼" long, was in an "L" shape and in the classic Remington gutta-percha dog-head design, which is actually the handle of the gun, with the gun unscrewing about 7" down to enable a 32-caliber rim-fire cartridge to be inserted into the shaft. The gun cocked with a straight pull that permitted a notched gun sight to pop up, and a round trigger under the handle fired the gun. The cane's shaft was covered in gutta-percha and had the worn Remington marks "Pat. Feb. 9th 1872" and the model number "890" still visible on the gutta-percha. It is interesting to note that the cane had a 1-2/3" hollow nickel ferrule stamped with a matching "890" model number, which cane experts feel reflects the number of this particular cane made to that point. Measuring 34" in length, the circa 1875 gun cane was in wonderful condition.

Relic canes are interesting examples that reflect important moments in history. A relic cane from the U.S.S. Constitution presented by President William F. McKinley to his friend sold for $9520. The walrus ivory "L" handle, 3" high x 3" long, was scrimmed and inked on top "Relic of the U.S. Frigate Constitution, Presented to Alex McCuen by his friend, Wm McKinley" in fancy script. A 1/3" gold collar was positioned where the handle and shaft met. The 35" long shaft was made of live oak, the dense southern wood that made the hull of the Constitution so hard that cannon balls bounced off the ship, earning it the nickname "Old Ironsides."

History buffs love to delve into the past of such pieces to find the connection between the presenter and the receiver of the cane. McCuen, from Pennsylvania, and McKinley, from Ohio, served in the Civil War. According to Taron, "Both served in the final southern campaign under Sherman's overall direction in 1865, and McCuen was wounded in January. Both were promoted to major on 3/13/65, and both were mustered out shortly thereafter." More detailed soldier history for both was sold with the cane. The fact that this was an important presentation piece from a future American president concerning a famous American vessel made this cane extremely desirable.

A circa 1850, possibly English, ivory carved phrenology cane in great condition with easily readable markings on the head and decoder came in at $6160. Phrenology, the study of skull protuberances and how they relate to character traits, was founded by German Franz Joseph Gall, but he was not allowed to practice his idea in Germany, as it was banned there in 1802. He continued his work in Paris and London until his death in 1828. The cane's handle was of carved elephant ivory and measured 3-1/8" high x 1½" at its widest point. At 34¾" long overall, the shaft was of figured snakewood, considered by Taron to be the "aristocrat of all cane woods."

When the dust had settled, the auction grossed $443,212, a new Tradewinds auction house record. "It is nice to see very good pieces exceed the ten-thousand-dollar mark," Taron stated. "It is obvious from the sale's results that high-end-of-the-market pieces are selling very strong. We had very few canes that passed, and the sale was well attended."

The hard work of Henry Taron and his late wife, Nancy, has made Tradewinds a place of importance in the antique cane marketplace. When a Tradewinds sale takes place, it is an event. In order to pique interest, Taron, with the help of his son, Christopher, produce, as he describes it, "A very intense full-color catalog" with such detailed descriptions that it becomes a must-have reference guide. "No one describes canes the way we do in our catalogs," Taron pointed out. Because of such detailed descriptions, international buyers and others who cannot attend Tradewinds events to see the items first-hand can bid with confidence. Collectors from New Zealand and England acquired canes at this sale.

Taron's desire to inform the buying public about canes was taken one step further at this Tradewinds sale. The evening before the auction, an illustrated lecture by Barbara Sanders on "The Extraordinary World of Tiffany Canes" was presented prior to the auction's preview.

Informed buyers make for more confident buyers, as was evident at this event. Taron concluded, "As is true with other areas in the antiques business, the highest quality brings the best money, and antique walking sticks seemed to have blossomed well."

For further information, Tradewinds Antiques may be reached at (978) 526-4085; Web site (www.tradewindsantiques.com).