The Cane ...

The revival of refinement takes again the cane in hand.

Francois the 1st... Henri VIII of England wears a Cane and even a cane curiosa : Henri VIII orders a high Cane of snap ring armed with 2 small guns with wheels.

Under Louis XIII the "Lilies of the valley" leave the sword and go in Paris the switch or the Cane to the hand.

It is besides at that time that with the hollow cane or blowpipe, an idea that came for the Americas, they bombard bend of sugar or horns with love letters the young ladies walking in the gardens of the Palais Royal, which was prohibited quickly, too beautiful ones being disbudded.

Louis XIV wears a Cane of ebony and the court follows its fashion.

The actors of the King use the Cane in all the tragedies of Corneille and Racine to ennoble the attitude, to underline a gesture. It made wonder there.

Under the Regency The Cane of the Duke of Richelieu, a true work of art, is worth a fortune.

All the nobility wants to compete and becomes prodigal for the child cherished who became the Cane. Popelinière has one of them being worth more than 10.000 ecus of gold!

The fashion baits itself, the women interfere with it, the Cane carves, covers silver or gold, crimped more or less invaluable stones, more or less large diamonds according to the fortune of its owner.

The bags of gold sound with the ears of the goldsmiths, who also compete of prowesses.

The Cane is painted, trimmed with ribbons, it becomes an aristocratic symbol and... then!!! Comes the revolution that carries, sweeps, transforms all: fortunes, fashion, ideas...

The Cane is taken in the storm. Some are exiled with their careful owners. Those which miss to it opportunity will be sold with the biddings, flights, will be broken, dismounted, resold of scattered pieces, or for the stones, or the noble metal. Some by miracle will find themselves later at some rare private individuals or in the museums to tell their history.

Here! Here is the history of the "ancester" Cane , that the collector has little chance to find. But it reminds me to speak to you about the period which impassions me more:

from the democratic revival of the Cane to the "années folles" , from the Jacobin to the Cane of the "garçonne" with a powder box...

     to be followed ...