A Very Unusual Ladies or Gentleman’s Walking Cane, late Nineteenth, early Twentieth Century.

The oval ball shaped grip made of precious gemstone Lapis Lazuli with gold like inclusions (pyrites) above a plain yellow metal collar, on a very stylish ebonised shaft, original bi-metal (brass and steel) ferrule.

No Makers mark.   

Condition: Good condition, nice surface patination to shaft.

Length: 38.25” (97.5cm). 

Lapis lazuli is an opaque rock that mainly consists of diopside and lazurite. It came into being millions of years ago during the metamorphosis of lime to marble. Uncut, lapis lazuli is matt and of a deep, dark blue colour, often with golden inclusions and whitish marble veins. The small inclusions with their golden shimmer, which give the stone the magic of a starry sky, are not of gold as people used to think, but of pyrites. Their cause is iron. The blue colour comes from the sulphur content of the lazurite and may range from pure ultramarine to a lighter blue.