Starting in the 16th century, canes and walking sticks became extremely popular, first among royalty and nobility, and by the 19th and 20th centuries having worked their way down to the middle classes as a symbol of status. This example shows some Germanic styling, with the antique ivory handle masterfully relief carved with a bear in a tree fighting a snake. The handle is joined to the shaft with a silver band showing an intricate weave pattern, and the shaft is made of a light springy wood with a coat of varnish and an antique ivory tip.