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. Canes and walking sticks continued to be popular during World War I not only as a status symbol, but also due to the often treacherous terrain. The antique ivory grip of this example has been expertly relief carved in the form of a French poilu of the 163e regiment d'infanterie, which took part in many of the major battles of the war, including in the Argonne, Verdun, and the Somme. 250 members of the regiment are listed as killed in action on the Monument aux Morts in Nice. The heavily mustachioed soldier is shown wearing an M15 pattern helmet and smoking a pipe, with "163" on both sides of the collar of his coat. The grip is fitted to a heavily knobbed and grained shaft, which the French call "neflier sanglant", that is tipped with iron. It measures 37 1/2 inches overall. Provenance: Laurence Jantzen Le Louvre des Antiquaires; The Larry Mattson Collection