In a visual history of walking sticks and canes, Anthony Moss delivers the definitive guide
..to (perhaps) the world’s first fashion accessory.
Available November 2021
With his passion for the beauty and diversity of walking sticks and canes, Anthony Moss’s beautifully compiled, thoroughly researched and illustrated guide (with 800 photographs) informs and entertains the reader with the history, significance and role in society these mobility aids have played through the ages.
From the very first page of this illustrative guide, Anthony Moss’s passion for collecting, researching, and appreciating the symbolism and beauty of walking sticks and canes shines through.
As one of the country’s leading Rabologists (collector of canes) Moss introduces the reader to the nuances of the walking stick and cane and how through history - and across cultures around the world - this handheld object has been a mark and symbol of its owner’s personality and social standing.
From classifications, to handle motifs and the anatomy of the cane, Anthony Moss also takes the reader on a journey from the dawn of time to where and how walking sticks and canes fit into twenty-first century life.
Written to be enjoyed equally by the informed and newcomers to the world of Rabology, Anthony’s book is worthy of a place on the bookshelf of all those interested in items that are so much more than the sum of their parts.
Impressively researched and with over 800 illustrations, Anthony Moss’s new book A Visual History of Walking Sticks and Canes is destined to become the definitive guide to this far from humble mobility aid.
SYNOPSIS:
A comprehensive study of walking canes from around the world, dating from the distant past to the modern-day. The book presents a historical context on both practical and ceremonial usage. At the same time, specially shot pictures showcase the celebrated A&D Collection of canes, while enlightening prose demonstrates the cane's enduring relevance to society.
More than just a mobility aid, the cane has held numerous offices of significance. From the staff of the legendary Monkey King in the classic Chinese Journey to the West, or the stylized crosiers carried by high-ranking prelates from the Roman Catholic church to the truncheon wielded by Mr Punch in puppet shows, canes are embedded in the culture of almost every country around the globe. Roving the map with one hand and thumbing through history books with the other, A Virtual History of Walking Canes and Sticks seeks to introduce the collector to the diverse wealth of canes available and entertain the casual reader.
Intermingled with over 800 full-colour pictures are descriptions of gadget canes for tradesmen, squirting canes for pranksters, and glamorous Art Nouveau canes for the dapper gentlemen of the '20s. Informative and meticulously researched, this book paves an accessible route into a niche subject while paying homage to our ongoing relationship with canes. This story stretches back as far as history itself.
REVIEWS:
“This beautiful book by Anthony Moss shows careful research and study; it rises far above other photographic books on antique walking sticks.”—RENZO TRABALLESI, psychiatrist, Siena, Italy; President, Mondobastone Association, Italian Association for Connoisseurs of Walking Sticks
“I urge you to read this excellent book, full of information and inspiring visual content, a case study of where a true collector’s journey and passion can take you, a must have for those who enjoy the full artistic variety of the visual arts.”— DOMINIC STRICKLAND, director of Michael German Antiques Ltd, London, international specialists in antique walking canes
Published by Rowman & Littlefield, A Visual History of Walking Sticks and Canes is available from 1st November 2021 at the following outlets:
