Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-18
CANES AND UMBRELLA HEADS.
Novelties in Buckhorn and Silver Han
dIeS-Fashion's Changes.

| Novelties in Buckhorn and Silver Han
dIes-Fashion's Changes.
Within a stones throw Of the city hall,
| in a basement is situated a firm which
manufactures large number of the canes
and umbrella handles sold in this city and
| New York The industry is almost mo
| nOpOlized by Germans, many of whom
earned the trade in their native land. A
reporter talked with the senior member
# the firm recently. who is n broad shoul-
Tered, good -natured and intelligent Ger
man of 50 years He said:
| Il have been engaged in the manufact-
ure OF walking sticks and umbrella heads
since was Il years of age. l was taught
my trade in Germany. The larger part
Of the wood used in the walking sticks
made in this country comes from England.
| The tavOrite woods used are English
| hazel. olive, webthorn and snakewood.
| The last named wood comes from South
America and is very valuable. The wood
: received in the rough and is polished
| mere. The polishing is a separate branch
Of the trade. Up TO a few months ago this
was the popular walking stick with fash,
unable young men and dudes"
At this point the cane man exhibited Al.
| enormous buckhOrn handled cane, thS
| stick OF which was two inches in diam
eter. The head OF the cane was Of buck
| norm and not quite a foot In length To
| make the cane more attractive and sale
| able a nickel band was placed at the base
| of the handle
These large sticks or miniature trees,
AS they are sometimes called" continued
| the cane manufacturer, ARE slowly going
out Of fashion. They will be succeeded by
natural handled sticks, Of which there are
| many qualities. OF the woods from which
natural handled sticks are made can be
mentioned Florida oak, dogwood, thorn.
English hazel, bOxwood. apple, mulberry,
diamond willow, orange, yahya, red gum,
cedar, chestnut, hickory, pear and ligum-
vitB. There are many woods from which
canes can be manufactured, but those
mentioned above are the principal in use.
Fashions change in canes rs often as in
hats. Some months ago the popular cane
had a silver topped handle, but this kind
If cane is not now fashionable. When the
silver topped cane was all the rage a great
fraud was perpetrated by INSCRIPTIONS
'iss'srs who sold flsi caIles as solid ones,
headed canes. This class of canes in
many instances were heavily plated and
VIII "edI less tHAn d year. butIeW OF tne
common canes which sci, for ten or fifteen
cents are now manufac tured The pOpu-
lar taste Is for expensive walking sticks.
Formerly 1t made very little difference to
man what quality of cane he carried, but
now handsome walking sticks are consid-
cred an important part of a gentleman's
wardrobe"
~Of what kind OF wood are the better
class of canes madei"
Ebony and rosewood are the stock
woods. Aged and wealthy men prefer the
woods named because of their strength
and durability. Nothing is more hand
some than highly polished ebony stick
with gold head. Many men have every
day and Sunday sticks. The latter are Of
course, Of dressy woods Canes are also
made of hard rubber and the backbone of
sharks. Umbrella heads are made from
natural woods, silver or gold and carved |
wood "-Brooklyn Eagle.