Commonly known as "cherubs", "putti" made a resurgence in European art during the Renaissance period after having virtually disappeared during the Medieval period. This resurgence coincided with a shift in the purpose of walking canes, which began to take on more of the role as a status symbol rather than a mobility aid. The carrying of a cane and the cane itself both became art forms, falling in line with an era that has become known as a golden age of the arts. Likely a product of the Age of Enlightenment, this cane beautifully displays some of the Renaissance art that carried over into the following period that swept over Europe. The small grip on this cane is masterfully relief carved in the form of two putti playing in a tree full of elegantly incorporated floral and scrollwork. The later replacement shaft is of smooth hardwood and tipped with a brass and steel ferrule. It measures 38 1/4 inches overall. Provenance: Laurence Jantzen, Le Louvre des Antiquaires, Paris; The Larry Mattson Collection

Fine, the grip showing an attractively aged tone with some scattered hairline age cracks and otherwise minimal handling evidence and crisp checkering. The later replacement shaft is also fine with only the slightest handling marks