[alador]

I agree about the walking sticks and I have another, Hats, specifically the Fedora (Indiana Jones style). I should mention that I live in West Virginia so a lot of us old coots sport hand carved walking sticks when we get to the point of needing one, which I do now. And I have noticed in recent years that the hats are making a comeback as well, they just go well with a good stick. I will say also that even though walking sticks are less used than in the past, when I go out with even my simple ones I get a lot of interest in them, oddly enough from women as well. So I guess the lesson is good stick and a fedora, a winning combination.

 

[alador]

As far as I can see, those antique canes are already out of reach for me and most others. I used to run and antique shop and go to every auction I could for stock. Anytime a good walking stick came up it went for too much money to make any profit on. I wanted them mostly for myself so I decided to try and make my own. I liken this to the resurgence of interest in acoustic musical instruments. The price for good vintage guitars etc. soon outpaced my ability to buy them, but I could buy a good new one to play and that is the beauty of it, thoses new ones got better and better to compete with the vintage ones nobody could afford. I think there will aways be a market for quality whether antique or just created by a good artisan.

 

[alador]

To quote Irving Berlin:

Without my walking stick,

I'd go insane

I can't look my best, I feel undressed

without my cane

And to quote Lyle Lovett:

My mama told me
Son to be polite
Take your hat off
When you walk inside

But the winds of change
They fill the air
And you can't set your hat down
Just anywhere

And to quote Forrest Gump:

And that's all I have to say about that.