The Walking Stick with a Secret

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The walking stick with a secret

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1 Men’s model Marktroller Lucerne Round chestnut wood handle on iron collar and two welded-on hooks with attached second shaft and each provided with a rubber-tire iron spoke wheel. Manufacturer or distributor: KORJAT , Lucerne (Switzerland) Around 1930, Switzerland Length: 97 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can fix the two shafts with an attached iron hook to form an isosceles triangle. In this way, a mobile walking cane is created to which the shopping bags can be attached and the function of the cane as a supporting aid is still maintained.

2 Ladies’ model Roll-Boy Solothurn Round handle chestnut wood on iron collar and two welded-on hooks with attached second shaft, both covered with brown leather and each with a rubber-tire iron wheel. Model: Roll-Boy, Swiss patent Manufacturer: Kaeser & Co., Solothurn (Switzerland) Around 1920, Switzerland Length: 91 cm Lender: private collection from the region

3 Gadget cane with trolley Shaft: wood, square, tapering Bow handle: wood, square with wooden wheels on opposite sides Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn, square Around 1910 Length: 88.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you turn the cane over and place it on the two wooden wheels, as well as unfolding the two brass crosses attached to the shaft, you get a transport device. It allowed you to transport suitcases and boxes comfortably and effortlessly. Due to the number 16 attached to the brass sleeve, it can be assumed that this luggage trolley could be a loan object from a hotel or cruise ship.

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4 Gadget cane with scooter Shaft: ash (wood), dark stained Round hook handle: ash (wood), dark stained On the lower part a wooden wheel with rubber ring Around 1930 Lender: private collection from the region

This gadget cane can be turned into a scooter by opening it. These scooters were used on large ocean liners. Stewards could thus handle the service in the cabins and on deck more quickly. How many whisky glasses were broken in the process, however, remains unknown. One can imagine how difficult the whole thing must have been at high swell.

5 Gadget cane for piano tuners Shaft: wood, painted black, stepped Fritz crutch handle: wood, reddish, painted black, hinged, unscrewable with inserted medallion of ivory Collar (transition handle to shaft): bronze, two pieces Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel-plated and iron tip Around 1880, probably France Length: 92.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When the fritz crutch handle is opened, a tuning key and a small screwdriver can be taken out of the hollow shaft. The stepped shaft can be unscrewed into a total of six segments. The following tools can then be taken from it: tuning key handle with wooden trays, sharp-edged screwdriver or felt hammer scraper and felt hammer smoother, tuning fork, square long tuning key, string lifting hook, square short tuning key. Manufacturer or former owner according to inlaid ivory medallion: L. Pinet Paris.

6 Gadget cane with music stand Shaft: wood, black lacquered Handle: ebony, black lacquered Collar (transition from handle to shaft): bronze Ferrule (lower end of the cane): Iron/bronze with lined bottom Engraving on music holder: AT AUG.28-(19)18 Around 1900 –1920 Length: 84.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can pull out the wooden handle including the collar and the metal bars hidden in the shaft are revealed. Then you can fold these metal rods out of the collar and you have a three-legged foot. The removed shaft can be replaced on it. By pulling out the ferrule, a metal rod appears, which can be assembled together with other iron parts from the shaft to form a rectangular music holder. This music holder is then placed on the three-legged shaft. Now you have a complete music stand.

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7 Gadget cane with conductor’s cane Shaft: wood, black lacquered Round handle: wood Collar (transition from handle to shaft): bone Ferrule (lower end of the cane): bone About 1890 Length: 83.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

After unscrewing the wooden round handle, a 36.3 cm long conductor’s baton can be taken out of the shaft. It is made of black lacquered wood with turned bone ends. Such gadget canes were often used by choirmasters and conductors.

Bone Along with ivory, antlers, stone and wood, bone is one of the oldest materials to be used for artistically designed objects. As far back as the Paleolithic Age, this solid, but not too hard, easily workable material was used to create small objects and statues.

8 Gadget cane with tourist polyphone Shaft: wood Handle: brass tube, nickel-plated and angled ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and iron tip Around 1930 Length: 82.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By turning the grooved ring at the end of the handle, ten round and ten rectangular holes are released and opened on the handle surface. When you blow through the rectangular holes, a harmonica sounds, which is wonderful to play. The harmonica can be pulled out of the handle end like a bayonet for cleaning or for playing without a cane. The following engraving is on the angle handle: E. BILGER’S Touristen-Polyphon PATENT APPLIED FOR. At that time it was still something special to be a tourist. It showed that one could afford the luxury of travel. The tourist polyphon is considered a curiosity. A walking cane with a nickel-plated metal handle, which has ten rectangular holes. You could slide a harmonica into it and get the cheapest of all music canes. In 1901 the dozen cost 20 marks or 25 francs net. Nikolaus Stoecklin’s original collection number 7 is affixed to the shaft. This gadget cane comes from the collection of the famous Basel painter Nikolaus Stoecklin. He had documented all his canes on watercolor paintings. The corresponding original watercolor for this cane is also on display in the exhibition.

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9 Gadget cane with recorder Shaft: cherry wood, painted and carved to imitate bamboo. Can be dismantled into four segments. Handle: ring-shaped, small Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Around 1880 Length: 68 cm Lender: private collection from the region

This gadget cane can be used as a recorder. It is still well playable. The cane can be taken apart into four segments. The uppermost segment contains the blowhole in the middle of the small ring-shaped handle. This gadget cane could have belonged to a child. The flute body is inscribed: Herouard. Nikolaus Stoecklin’s original collection number 18 is affixed on the shaft. This gadget cane comes from the collection of the famous Basel painter Niklaus Stoecklin. He had documented all his canes on watercolor paintings. The corresponding original watercolor for this cane is also on display in the exhibition.

Recorders Flutes have been used as musical instruments since prehistoric times. Flutes from this period are made of hollow bone and already have tone holes. Such flutes, in which the sound is produced by a windway, have been and still are found all over the world in the most varied forms. However, the most common type of flute in early medieval Europe was the panpipe-like instrument, in which pipes without fingerholes were bundled together in increasing lengths. The vertically held recorder with finger holes was introduced to Europe simultaneously from Africa by the Moors and from Asia by the Slavs. It was widespread in various forms. Evidence of recorders that could be played with both hands has been documented in Europe since the 11th century. As early as the 14th century, the recorder was one of the most important woodwind instruments. The recorder types used were still cylindrically drilled and consisted of only one piece. This made them sound mild, soft and low in overtones, which is why they were called flûte douce or flauto dolce. These sound characteristics made them particularly suitable to support singing. The recorders of the different registers already mentioned above were developed for this purpose. In the music of the baroque era, instrumental music was separated from vocal music. The sound of an instrument had to be more clearly distinguished from the sound of human singing. This was achieved for recorders by a different construction method. The body of the recorder was assembled from three parts; the tube was drilled in an inverted conical shape (narrower at the bottom than at the top) and the finger holes were placed closer together. Since the 16th century, the thumb hole on the back of the instrument was also common. The tone of the recorder thus became clearer, brighter and richer in overtones. In the further course of the 18th century recorders were replaced by transverse flutes, which had a stronger sound and was more assertive in playing together with the extended orchestras. The recorder was rediscovered in the 1920s, when efforts were made to create a sound as true to the original as possible for Renaissance and Baroque music. The recorder was also discovered as an instrument for educational purposes. In the youth movement, it was appreciated as easily transportable. At the same time industrial mass production began, for example by

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the companies Moeck in Celle, Germany and Adler-Heinrich in Markneukirchen, Germany, which made recorders cheap and available everywhere. After the Second World War, the recorder came into widespread use as an introductory instrument for teaching purposes.

10 Watercolor by Nikolas Stoecklin Original watercolor of two gadget canes from the collection of Niklaus Stöcklin Artist: Niklaus Stoecklin, Riehen (Switzerland) 1974 Lender: private collection from the region

This original watercolor by Niklaus Stoecklin shows two gadget canes from his collection. Both canes, harmonica and recorder are on display in this exhibition.

Cane collector Niklaus Stoecklin (1896 in Basel –1982 ibid.) Niklaus Stoecklin was not only a great Swiss painter and graphic artist, but also an enthusiastic collector of canes. His collection comprised always only 99 pieces. He didn’t want to have any more because the narrow board in the entrance of his house had 99 hooks where all canes could be seen hanging in a row. It all started with one cane, which Niklaus Stoecklin received as a gift. This awakened his desire to collect original canes and over the years the collection grew to 99 pieces. He was not sorry to part with one cane if he could incorporate a more original part into his collection. Quality was more important to this passionate collector than quantity. The exhibition shows three canes from his former collection: A unique cane as a travel first-aid kit with six vials of toothache, cholera and Hoffmann’s drops, basic lead acetate, arnica tincture and ammonia. A cane with telescope and compass and a shepherd’s cane with flute. In addition, there are the artistic watercolor drawings meticulously executed by Niklaus Stoecklin. Niklaus Stoecklin is regarded as the main Swiss representative of New Objectivity and magical realism as well as an important poster designer. He grew up as the son of a merchant in Basel and learned the craft of painting from his uncle Heinrich Müller. For decades Stoecklin also devoted himself to poster design. Through his public works, including the mural above the Annunciations of Marriage on the Münsterplatz in Basel (1920), and through his work as a lantern painter for the Basel carnival, he became a well-known personality in Basel. He also created many stamps for Pro Juventute and Pro Patria with motifs of insects and fossils. Picture collections by Niklaus Stoecklin can be found in museums in Basel, Winterthur, Zurich, Chur, Solothurn and Fribourg. The MoMA Museum of Modern Art in New York has posters by the artist.

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11 Gadget cane with recorder Shaft: nickel sheet, painted as wood imitation Handle: nickel, with blowhole Manufacturer: Charles Mathieu, Paris (France) Around 1910, France Lender: private collection from the region

Well playable recorder with low musical quality. With inscription of the Parisian manufacturer Ch. Mathieu. Such flutes were popular toys, which were offered at fairs. Only a few Mathieu flutes have survived because of this. In 1890, Mathieu filed a patent for the tin whistle in France.

12 Gadget cane with flute Shaft: sheet metal, light and dark brown spotted and cut to length wood Round handle: sheet metal, nickel-plated with central round hole Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, nickel-plated soldered Manufacturer: CH. MATHIEU, France Around 1899, France Length: 87.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The round handle with the central hole serves as a mouthpiece for the following six-hole sheet metal flute with two additional holes on the sides for air discharge. The flute can be played without having to remove the wood shaft. Based on the stamping on the handle, Frenchman CH. MATHIEU was likely the manufacturer of this cane. This flute cane was produced as a souvenir cane for the opening of the world exhibition in 1889 in Paris and painted in the colors of the Eiffel Tower. The original price label stating, FR 1.50 , is still attached at the end of the shaft. The flute is easy to play and has an amazingly good sound.

Eiffel Tower at the 1889 World Exposition Built between 1887 and 1889, the structure was erected as a monumental entrance portal and observation tower for the World Exhibition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Named after its builder, Gustave Eiffel, and still 312 meters high at the time of construction, the tower was the tallest building in the world from its construction until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.

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13 Transverse flute cane Shaft: wood, light brown with round eyelet and looped plaited textile cord pulled through it with adjustable bone collar and bone ends in the shape of acorn cones. The shaft contains four wooden keys as well as three oval and eight round holes. Round handle: brass, dark brown, removable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, removable Around 1900 Length: 90.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

After unscrewing the wooden handle, the flute can be played easily with the holes and keys. The adjustable ferrule is used to tune the instrument. The manufacturer is unknown.

Flute canes Music canes were very well liked gadget canes. They were, in particular, of great interest to and enjoyed popularity among the nobility in the 18th century. Even the wealthy bourgeoisie of the following century, who were very fond of the beauty of nature, were enthusiastic about this special gadget canes. The cane flutes, which belong to the group of wind instruments, were undoubtedly the most popular, whether on land excursions, journeys or pilgrimages. Some of them contained swords or daggers in addition to producing sounds, a useful accessory in case of a random attack at a bend in the road.

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14 Gadget cane with czakan flute Shaft: bamboo with round eyelet and looped textile tassels pulled through them. The shaft can be divided into three parts. It has an oval blowhole with six round holes, a wooden flap, and a drop-shaped outlet channel. Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, runs elegantly into an iron tip Around 1880 Length: 90.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Thanks to the lateral drop-shaped outlet in the lower quarter of the cane, the instrument can be played as a whole. Six holes and a wooden flap are available to create different sounds. For drying and cleaning, the cylindrical handle can be unscrewed and the shaft or czakan can be disassembled into three parts. The manufacturer is unknown.

Czakan flutes The cane flute (cane recorder, czakan, spelled csakan) was a recorder built into a walking cane. Around 1800 it appeared in Vienna and the surrounding area and was very popular in the 19th century, especially during the Biedermeier period, especially in Austria-Hungary. The czakan was a recorder with seven front holes and a thumbhole, to which one or more keys were added over time. The invention of the instrument is attributed to the flute virtuoso Anton Heberle. Ernest Krähmer (1795 –1837) wrote a considerable number of sophisticated compositions, mostly for a czakan accompanied by a guitar or piano, and thus contributed greatly to the popularity of the instrument. There are also compositions for the czakan by Anton Diabelli, Conradin Kreutzer, János Lavotta, and Johann Strauss. The long czakan flute was the forerunner of the short German school recorder, which was initially also called the cane flute.

15 Gadget cane with flute Shaft: ebony, black, lacquered Handle: silver, with undulating engravings and conical pattern Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel-plated and iron tip Manufacturer: J.H., LONDON First half of 19th century, England Length: 91.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By unscrewing the silver handle, a 21.4 cm long brass flute with a soldered brass collar can be pulled out of the shaft. A harp- playing angel engraved on the collar with the inscription: TRADE MARK JH IN TUNE G LONDON. This six-hole flute is tuned to G and can be played simply as a pastime.

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16 Gadget cane with piccolo Shaft: ebony, can be disassembled with six round holes and six air flaps Round handle: nickel-plated on ivory mouthpiece with oval hole Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: probably Alfred Seeger, St. Gallen (Switzerland) Around 1900/1910, Switzerland Length: 94 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By turning it slightly, the piccolo can be removed from the shaft and is now ready to play. The manufacturer was probably the engraved Alfred Seeger St. Gallen and the instrument was probably sold by the engraved shop MUSIK BÄBLER ZÜRICH.

Alfred Seeger Theaterplatz St. Gallen Telephone 1692 Musical instrument manufacturing Specialty: woodwind instruments Clarinets, flutes, oboes, bassoons Repair of carefully crafted instruments

Piccolo flute The piccolo flute ( piccolo ) is a smaller version of the transverse flute. It is tuned an octave higher and is the highest classical woodwind instrument. It is also one of the highest instruments in the symphony orchestra. The flute à l’octave was first mentioned in France in 1735 and a little later in Germany. Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler considered the instrument a full member of the woodwind section and occasionally used it as a solo instrument. The Basel Fasnacht, also known as the Drey Scheenschte Dääg (the three most beautiful days), is the largest carnival in Switzerland. The cliques play marches as they walk through the city center and the piccolos are accompanied by the rhythm of Basel drums. In Basel, the first evidence of pipers only appears around 1850. Until the 2nd World War, the pipers played only a minor role in Basel. What you can enjoy today is the result of a rapid development since the fifties.

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17 Gadget cane with bagpipe Shaft: brass, can be divided into four parts Handle: Bakelite, black horn imitation, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel Manufacturer: Peter Henderson, Glasgow (Scotland) Around 1920, probably Scotland Length: 91.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The rectangular handle made of black Bakelite can be unscrewed and has an additional blowhole in the upper part. The typical bagpipe mouthpiece is also revealed. The shaft contains nine holes in total.

Peter Henderson, Glasgow It is known that Peter Henderson began making bagpipes in Glasgow in 1880 after taking over the premises from Donald MacPhee. The Henderson bagpipe is preferred by both bands and solo players for its powerful, rich sound. Many of the very early Henderson bagpipes are made of ebony or coconut wood. As was to be expected, the Henderson bagpipe has changed both stylistically and tonally over the years. It is generally acknowledged that the very first Henderson bagpipes were great in every respect. Both ebony and coconut wood were used extensively until around 1920/1930 African blackwood replaced them. This happened throughout the industry, since the demand for bagpipes in other parts of the world required a more durable wood. Henderson lost many of its best woodturners during the Second World War. The quality of its instrument became uneven and could no longer be compared with the Henderson bagpipes made before the war. It was not until the late 1960s that a newly styled Henderson bagpipe was created that corresponded to the pre-war instrument in sound and performance.

Bagpipe A bagpipe is a musical instrument. It consists of an air-filled bag and several pipes. That’s why it is called bagpipe. The player blows air into the bag through the blowstick. He clamps it under his arm to force the air into the pipes. One of the pipes is the chanter. The player opens or closes some holes with his fingers and creates a melody that way. This is similar to a recorder. In addition, there are some drone pipes, usually three. Their name comes from the drone sound they create. This is a low continuous tone, which makes up the typical sound of the bagpipe. There are one or two plates of thin wood in each pipe. They are set in vibration by the air flowing through them. This is very similar to the clarinet. The bagpipe is therefore one of the woodwind instruments. A bagpipe can get pretty loud. That’s why it is more likely to be played outdoors. Bagpipe players are often part of so-called pipe bands. Drummers also play in such music groups. The drummers set the rhythm to keep the bagpipers in tempo. In our country, bagpipes are often associated with the culture of Scotland. It was once an instrument of war. Bagpipes are used a lot in Scottish folk music, the traditional Scottish music. The typical Scottish bagpipe is called Highland Bag Pipe. But the bagpipe was probably invented in the Orient. The instrument was already known there in antiquity. It made its way to Europe in the Middle Ages. There is a very similar instrument

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to the Highland Bagpipe in Spain called Gaita. It is related by name to the Gajda from the Balkans, where the bag is usually made of goat skin.

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18 Triple gadget cane with clarinet, flute and spotting scope Shaft: boxwood, carved as gnarled trunk, separates into three segments. Each segment is inscribed with U. Ammann Handle: boxwood Collar (transition from handle to shaft): horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and cork tip Instrument maker: Ulrich Ammann, Alt St. Johann (Switzerland) Around 1796, Switzerland Lender: private collection from the region

When the boxwood handle is unscrewed, the clarinet mouthpiece becomes visible. The C clarinet can then be twisted off the lower part of the cane and you have a separate musical instrument. The lower part of the cane consists of a transverse flute in two parts. All keys and tone holes are carved in the wood and imitate natural side branches and branch scars. The deceptively realistic looking carved side branches and branch scars have not grown naturally in the wood. Both instruments are still playable. The handle contains a spotting scope, a small observation telescope hidden behind two sliding flaps.

Ulrich Ammann (1766–1842) Switzerland’s Ulrich Ammann, of Alt St. Johann (Haltweg), is one of the best -known flute cane and clarinet cane makers of his time by far. His instrument canes could be used as alpenstocks and were well known and highly desirable among French officers the world over in the Napoleonic era. Two of these very rare clarinet canes can be seen in the special exhibition. Only very few of these treasures are known to have survived. Ulrich Ammann’s father was a farmer who also worked on the side as a butcher, cobbler and carpenter, and made all kinds of household and agricultural devices out of wood. Young Ammann helped carve these devices, but preferred to work on musical instruments. At the age of ten, he made a violin on which he tried to learn to play. He also made flutes and other wind instruments. After he was denied an apprenticeship (with Hans Melchior Grob), a home organ owned by a neighbor inspired him to build his own. He succeeded in building it after working on it for four years from 1780 to 1784. The five -piece instrument remained the only organ he created. Ulrich Ammann later made his mark as a wind instrument maker and gained renown mainly for his flute canes and clarinet canes. He made original hiking sticks with (collapsible) spyglasses, fountains, or integrated tobacco machines. The masterpieces could be used simultaneously as flutes or clarinets. The instruments are still playable today. His worldwide reputation was so great that even royal heads purchased instruments from Ammann. Among his customers were the King of Italy and the Tsar of Russia. Napoleon was familiar with the works of Ammann as well. While crossing Switzerland, he acquired one of his instruments. It can be admired today in a museum in Paris. Ulrich Ammann died in 1842 in Nesslau at the age of 76, and due to his negative experiences at school, he donated his fortune to the parents’ committee of Alt St. Johann.

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19 Cane clarinet and flute by Ulrich Ammann Shaft: boxwood, carved as a gnarled trunk, separable into three segments Handle: horn, carved, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and cork tip Instrument maker: probably Ulrich Ammann, Alt St. Johann (Switzerland) Around 1820, Switzerland Lender: private collection from the region

When the handle is unscrewed, the clarinet mouthpiece becomes visible. The lower transverse flute can also be unscrewed and played as a single instrument. Created around 1820, the double instrument cane was created with the unmistakable technique and perfection of Ammann instruments. Although the inscription is missing, one can assume that this instrument cane was made by him. Both the small clarinet and the transverse flute are playable. Some flaps close the hole via a double joint, others open the air hole.

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20 Gadget cane with violin Shaft: mahogany (wood), dismountable Fritz handle: wood Collar (transition from handle to shaft): three brass, nickel-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel plated with iron pin Around 1880 Length: 91.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By unscrewing the handle of the Fritz handle and stripping off the middle collar, a half shell can be removed from the shaft. The strings and the resonating body are revealed underneath. A violin bow can be pulled out of the resonance box with a drawstring. The string bridge and the tuning key can be removed under the strings. This way you can assemble a complete and playable cane violin. The bow rosin (Hidersine) for the strings was taken along in a separate box.

The cane violin The cane violin was invented around 1770 by the imperial Russian chamber musician Johann Wilde, who was born in Bavaria. It is a continuation of the pochette, the narrow dance master violin. When an original instrument by Wilde was found around 1880, Lutz, a company from Vienna rebuilt it and sold the replica in 1882 probably in small quantities. In 1894, an invention was protected under imperial patent number 78068, a walking cane designed as a stringed instrument by an Alexander Opikthin from St. Petersburg. This stringed instrument is nothing more than an imitation of the old cane violin.

Fritz handle Frederick II had a large collection of luxurious walking canes and snuffboxes. As many of his portraits show, he used to lean on a cane, slightly bent over. After the Seven Years’ War, a type of cane with a handle that is not bent, but is attached almost at right angles to the cane, became so popular as his constant companion that it has since been called the Fritz crutch or Fritz handle. This is still a firm term with cane lovers today. The simplicity of the pictures that artists such as Adolph Menzel created, however, conceal that the canes of Old Fritz were not cheap accessories. The king paid Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, who also supplied his army and founded the first porcelain manufactory in Berlin, 125 thalers for a cane with mother-of- pearl set in gold. A round handle with diamonds even cost 2270 thalers. An infantryman was paid one and a half thalers a month at that time. Of course, the king possessed much more than just these two canes.

Bow rosin/Hidersine (colophony) Rosin for stringed instruments is a rosin refined with various substances. It is also known as bow or violin resin. The horsehair of the bows of stringed instruments have to be regularly rubbed with a piece of resin to achieve a strong adhesive gliding effect. When the string is stroked, this rapid change in static friction and movement between the bow hair and the string causes the string to vibrate. There are different qualities, ranging from easy playability for beginners to the artist rosin, which allows a wider dynamic and sound range. In addition, a softer resin is usually used for cellos

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or double basses, since the thicker strings require a greater amount of static friction than, for example, the violin. However, the products can be roughly divided into two groups, the difference of which may seem small but has serious consequences. This refers to the base material larch resin on the one hand and all other coniferous wood resins such as pine, spruce or fir resin on the other. In each group there are excellent products that are appreciated by musicians and (applied individually present their full quality. However, one should never make the mistake of mixing larch rosin with other types of rosin. If you do so, the two types react with each other, the rosin mixture no longer sticks to the string and can hardly move it from its resting position.

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21 Gadget cane with violin Shaft: rosewood, can be disassembled Handle: rosewood in the stylized form of a Fritz handle Collar (transition from handle to shaft): two brass, one of which can be stripped off Tip (lower end of the cane): buffalo horn, black Around 1920 Length: 94.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By unscrewing the Fritz handle and stripping off the middle collar, a half shell can be removed from the shaft. The strings and the resonating body are revealed underneath. A violin bow can be pulled out of the resonance box with a drawstring. The string bridge and the tuning key can be removed under the strings. This way you can assemble a complete and playable cane violin. Design and material point to the art deco period.

Musical instruments in walking canes Musical instruments in the form of a walking cane enjoyed great popularity in Germany in the last decades of the 18th century and well into the Biedermeier period. During this sentimental age people seemed to be very attached to those musical instruments that enabled romantic hikers to react immediately to impressions of nature such as the wind in the treetops or the song of the nightingale, and to express their feelings in musical form. The inventory of Henry VIII includes transverse flutes in the form of walking canes. The most famous cane instrument maker, who also combined his flutes, clarinets and bassoons with telescopes and tobacco pipes, was Ulrich Amann from the Swiss Toggenburg region. Two of his extremely rare works are on display in the exhibition.

Art deco Art deco (short for French art decoratif, decorative art ) is a style term that is applied to design in many areas such as architecture, furniture, vehicles, clothing fashion, jewelry or articles of daily use. Paintings and illustrations were also produced in the art deco style. The name aims at the dominance of decorative elements and design intentions of art deco. The stylized and planar representation of floral and organic motifs is characteristic of art deco. The absence of naturalness and shadows conveys the modern and often poster-like impression of the art from this era. The industrial production as well as the carefree, eclectic mixture of style elements of different origins are also important characteristics. The center of art deco and its driving force was without question the metropolis of Paris, where the exhibition entitled Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes took place in 1925. The emergence of art deco, and especially its development and peak in the 1920s and 1930s are marked by the First World War and impoverishment especially in Germany and its allied countries at the end of the 1910s. Equally important is the spread of political totalitarianism in Europe, with the rise of dictators such as Adolf Hitler in Germany, Benito Mussolini in Italy and Josef Stalin in Russia at the end of the 1920s and beginning of the 1930s. During the so-called Roaring Twenties, people created illusions of a better future based on technical progress and especially

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among the privileged, the attitude towards life was styled according to art deco. At the same time, the economy of the victorious powers was booming, before this euphoria was broken by the world economic crisis of 1929 with increasing inflation.

22 Gadget cane with ukulele and flute Shaft: wood with strung resonance box and six-hole flute underneath Handle: wood, in the form of a Fritz handle Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, burnished and iron tip Around 1900 Length: 89.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The tuning key for the four strings of the ukulele can be removed by swinging out a small drawer on the wooden handle. The ukulele can be played directly after tuning. Below the ukulele a flute can also be removed by twisting and pulling. The flute is also playable after removing the lockable ferrule. The combination of two instruments in one walking cane is very rare and unusual.

23 Gadget cane with sheet metal ukulele Shaft: sheet metal, nickel-plated, can be disassembled Round handle: Nickel Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, nickel-plated soldered Around 1900 Length: 91.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The round handle can be easily removed from the shaft by means of a bayonet lock. You can then remove half a shell from the shaft and get access to the four strings of the ukulele. The instrument can be tuned with a thin coin or key on the tuning pegs. The resonance box contains the name of the instrument and its trademark: UKEKANE Reg. Trade Mark Pat. Applied for. The manufacturer is not mentioned.

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24 Gadget cane with trumpet Shaft: brass plate partly silver-plated and black enameled, with floral designs Handle: ivory, turned, removable, with engraved and blackened decoration and central black and rainbow colored iridescent feather-like engraved round stone medallion Ferrule (lower end of the cane): silver with iron tip Around 1900 Length: 94.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you pull out the safety pin, you can lift the ivory handle from the shaft. A 6.7 cm long turned ivory mouthpiece can then be taken out of the funnel-shaped opening. After you have pulled out the silver ferrule at the end of the shaft, you can insert the mouthpiece. The result is a 93 cm long, playable trumpet for ceremonial occasions. This gadget cane originates from presumably Indo-Persia.

25 Gadget cane as signal horn Shaft: bamboo, painted, with mounted double horn Handle: Bakelite, white with blowhole Around 1930 Length: 94 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Description When blowing, you produce a shrill double tone with minimal difference in pitch. This cannot be considered music. This was certainly a signal horn for clowns or carnival brothers. Very unusual individual production.

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26 Gadget cane with music horn Shaft: brass, painted in wood imitation Round handle: wood, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): ivory Bottom (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip, conical up to 3,6 cm diameter, unscrewable Around 1900 Length: 92.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The wooden lid can be unscrewed and the mouthpiece, which is protected by a velvet cushion inside, becomes visible. The bell is also in the handle and has a diameter of 3.6 cm. The tip can be unscrewed and releases the cone for the mouthpiece. When assembled, the straight nature horn has a length of 92.5 cm. This corresponds to a short Coach Horn. Those were the horns on the big carriages. They were used for this purpose especially in England. The pitch was usually much higher than that of the hunting horn. The Swiss posthorn was significantly lower in F major and thus remained unmistakable. The higher the key, the shorter the horn and there are also fewer natural tones available.

27 Gadget cane with hunting horn trumpet Shaft: wood Handle: Brass with cover and inscription VERRIER LUTMIER TOULOUSE Trumpet signed: Périnet Paris Probably 19th century Length: 93 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The round handle can be screwed on and in the shaft there is a small hunting horn trumpet, signed: Périnet Paris. The name VERRIER LUTMIER TOULOUSE is engraved on the screw-on cover. This might be the name of the original owner.

Étienne-François Périnet, Paris The name Périnet is still synonymous with hunting horns today. Périnet founded his company in 1829 to manufacture and restore French horns. The horn as well as most other metal wind instruments were significantly improved at the beginning of the 19th century. The rotary or cylinder valves, which are nowadays preferably found as complete valve mechanism in horns, are said to have been invented by a Josef Riedl in 1832. Almost simultaneously, É. Francois Périnet (1839) worked on the further development and significant improvements of Stoelzel’s invention, the pump or Périnet valves. This system is still used today for trumpets and certain horn models.

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28 Gadget cane with horn Shaft: wood, possibly ash, split and glued again Handle: ivory, lens-shaped Around 1920 Lender: private collection from the region

The horn goes down 30 cm into the wood shaft. It then bends 180 degrees and comes out of the shaft on the opposite side of the mouthpiece with a bell. The instrument is well playable. The pitch of this horn is significantly higher than the classical hunting horn.

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29 Gadget cane with standing microscope Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: brass, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass Around 1870 Length: 88 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can unscrew the handle and remove the standing microscope.

The microscope The history of the microscope is closely linked to the development of other optical devices. Its origins lie in the study of light and its behavior in transparent media such as water or glass. Basically, the history of the microscope can also be described as the history of optics, until the microscope became differentiated as an independent device from glasses, magnifying glasses and telescopes in the 16th century. The first microscopes, like the first telescopes, appeared in the 17th century in Holland, where the art of glass cutting was in full bloom. The first microscope was built at the beginning of the 17th century by the Dutch merchant Zacharias Janssen (1588–1631). In contrast to a simple magnifying glass, it was a compound microscope. In other words, it had two lenses. Janssen fixed one lens each at the front and rear end in an elongated tube. The effect was that the image was enlarged by a multiple. Unfortunately the lenses were still relatively poorly polished at that time. The glass often contained small air bubbles and the surfaces were not really optimally curved either. This resulted in faulty microscope images. Some 50 years later the Dutchman Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) therefore took a different path. His microscope consisted only of an almost spherical lens. Since his lens was much more precise, he was able to achieve a much higher magnification. Leeuwenhoek succeeded in grinding lenses with a focal length in the range of 1 mm, so that their magnification was about 200. In addition, he equipped his apparatus with precision mechanics that allowed focusing on the sample and correct positioning of the sample. Leeuwenhoek was the first to find bacteria in his plaque. The importance of bacteria for mankind could not yet be guessed at that time. Over time, however, the microscope has become an important tool in the discovery of pathogens. There are limits to the reduction of the focal length of a lens. The lens would become too thick and thus the aberrations too large. Already at the time of Leeuwenhoek, people tried to increase the magnification by means of two lenses. The English physicist Robert Hooke (1635–1703) reports in his famous work, Micrographia, about a two-lens microscope that was very similar to the one we know today, but in which the focusing was still causing great problems. The Hooke microscope had poor light intensity. To illuminate his preparations, Hooke therefore used an oil lamp, the light of which he concentrated with a water-filled glass ball acting as a lens. Hooke also examined a bottle cork with his microscope. He was the first to discover that plant tissue consists of cells and thus laid the foundation for cytology. In the following centuries the optical and mechanical quality of light microscopes was constantly improved. Today, they

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represent an indispensable tool in many areas of science.

30 Gadget cane for spying Shaft: tubular, iron Ball handle: brass, nickel-plated Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, nickel-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Around 1930 Length: 88.4 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can turn the shaft a little bit and the hole with mirror inside in the upper part becomes visible. The same applies to the hole with mirror in the lower part of the shaft. Now you can hold the cane with the upper hole over an obstacle, such as a wall. If you look through the lower hole you can see what is going on behind the obstacle according to the periscope technique.

31 Gadget cane Tourist monocular Shaft: wood, dark brown Handle: silver, hallmarked, canted with floral and rhomboid- shaped niello ornamentation Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn Around 1940 Length: 91.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can clip the two lenses, which are carried separately in a box, onto the shaft. Thus, the eyepiece and the objective with a diameter of 5.8 cm create a monocular for tourists. It has a focal length of 40 to 50 cm. Focusing is achieved by shifting the objective, whereby the eye must be held as close as possible to the eyepiece. This system is legally protected against imitation. The manufacturer is not known.

Niello Niello refers to a decoration on silver, more rarely gold, and more recently on copper and bronze, which consists of drawings that are engraved or pressed in with steel plates and filled in with a kind of black paint. The black color mass itself is also called niello as well. In Old High German it was called “Blachmal” which means black spot. It referred to the sulphurated silver slag, or Tula after the Russian city of Tula. The Italian word niello is derived from Latin nigellus, blackish . The application of niello is called nielloing. The craftsman creating niello works is called niello maker niello engraver.

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32 Gadget cane with opera glasses Shaft: rosewood Handle: opera glasses set in mother of pearl, unscrewable Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel-plated and iron tip Manufacturer: Audemair, Paris (France) Around 1880, France Length: 97.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can unscrew the opera glasses from the shaft. The opera glasses with handle can be precisely focused by fine rotary movements. Audemair Paris was known for its high-quality and beautifully crafted opera glasses. The company often worked with mother of pearl.

33 Gadget cane with opera monocle Shaft: ebony, blackened Handle: porcelain, hand-painted, dew-shaped, cylindrical, with an extendable single-layer monocle set into it in mother-of-pearl and gilded brass. Collar (transition from handle to shaft): mother-of-pearl collar, grooved and unscrewable Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and iron tip Manufacturer: Chavance & Co, Paris (France) Around 1870, France Length: 91.1 cm Lender: private collection from the region

After unscrewing the dew-shaped handle from the shaft, a single-layer extendable monocle with a 10.5 cm long handle can be removed. Chavance & Co, Paris was known for its high quality and beautifully crafted opera monocles and glasses. The company often worked with hand painted porcelain and mother of pearl. This type of gadget cane with opera monocle was ideal for the Paris Opera. Due to a brawl at the Paris Opera, where people were beating each other with canes, it was thereafter made mandatory to hand in all canes to the cloakroom. Thanks to the unscrewing mechanism the monocle could be taken inside the opera house.

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34 Gadget cane with opera glass Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: ivory, cylindrically turned, conically tapering with silver ferrule Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver, English hallmark Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn Manufacturer: probably silversmith John Hardman, London (England) Around 1884, probably England Length: 93.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you unscrew the ivory lid, you can remove the monocular opera glass hidden inside. The lens barrel of this opera glass is decorated with high-quality enamel ornaments. The eyepiece is set in ivory. The silver collar of the cane bears an English hallmark, which is attributed to the silversmith John Hardman London, 1884. It also contains the engraved name: J. Churchill. This was presumably the name of the former owner.

Opera glasses The traditionally built theater binoculars, also known as opera glasses or Galilean binoculars, are light and small binoculars based on the Galilean telescope principle. They contain only one convex objective lens and one concave eyepiece lens per beam path, which directly produce an upright image. Reverse prisms are therefore not necessary. Theatre glasses allow only a low magnification (between 1 1/2 and 5, often produced in 2.5x18 to 3x28 versions), but this is appropriate for observing what is happening on a theatre stage. The simple optical design allows only a small field of view and the image quality is lower than in the compact binoculars with reverse prisms. Therefore, soon after the invention of the reverse principle, prismatic theatre binoculars with the appropriate relatively small magnification were available as well.

35 Gadget cane with opera glass Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: ivory, carved in the shape of a hand, holding black opera glasses Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): nickel-plated 11.2 cm long with iron tip Around 1850 Length: 92.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By pulling out the three-layer lens barrel, you get opera glasses of 12.7 cm in length. The cane serves as a tripod or handle.

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36 Gadget cane with opera glass Shaft: partridge (wood) Handle: Ivory with embedded, single-layer opera glasses Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, floral decorated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn manufacturer: Chezard Opticien Around 1910, probably France or French Switzerland (Romandy) Length: 87.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By pulling out the single-layer lens barrel you get an opera glass with a length of 6.1 cm. According to the engraving the manufacturer is a certain Chezard Opticien.

37 Gadget cane with opera monocle Shaft: ebony Handle: rock crystal, cut into a snail shape with inset three-layer opera glass Frames and collar, (transition handle to shaft): copper, gold plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): buffalo horn Around 1900, France Length: 89.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

A monocle is made available when you pull out the three-layer opera glass lens barrel. The shaft serves as a handle. Due to the spiral bend to the left, this opera monocle cane is ergonomically ideal for right-handed people.

Monocles A monocle is a visual aid which, in contrast to the glasses used today (binoculars, lorgnette), consists of only one lens. Monocles evolved from the reading stone, a cut lens made of quartz, especially rock crystal, or beryl. It was placed directly on the document for enlargement. From the 14th century onwards, the lens was held in front of the eye. In the 16th century, the idea was born to clamp the lens directly in front of the eye using the eyelid muscle so that both hands are free. The word monocle was borrowed in the 19th century from the equivalent French word monocle, but was originally created as a bilingual artificial word from ancient Greek for alone, sole and Latin oculus for eye.

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38 Gadget cane with blowpipe Shaft: bamboo, dark brown Ball handle: ivory Collar (transition from handle to shaft): mahogany (wood) Ferrule (lower end of the cane): copper Before 1870 Length: 91.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The ball handle can be removed from the shaft by rotating it. The ferrule can be unscrewed from the shaft. A blowpipe with a mouthpiece and a 9.6 cm long wooden arrow with iron tip becomes visible. This arrow is inserted into the mouthpiece with the tip at the front and blown out with a burst of your breath. In this way, targets at a distance of 10 to 20 meters can be hit quickly and quite accurately. The total length of the blowpipe is 84.9 cm.

39 Gadget cane for archers Shaft: wood, painted black, split lengthwise Ball handle: wood, disc-shaped, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, partly covered with dark brown leather Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, long, removable with iron tip Around 1890 Length: 95.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you unscrew the wooden handle, you can remove two black wooden wedges from the upper hollow metal shaft. By pulling off the ferrule, a part of the split wooden shaft can be removed and the black 53 cm long arrow with metal tip and spring hidden inside can be removed. The removed half of the shaft can be inserted into the brass tube with leather sheathing, which is fixed to the other half of the shaft. This way you get a 145 cm long bow with a leather handle in the middle. It can be stabilized with the wooden wedges. At the end you can string the bow with the enclosed gut string. This string is carried in an enclosed textile bag.

40 Gadget cane for salute shafts, gun cane Shaft: wood Fritz handle: Steel, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): steel Tip (lower end of the cane): iron Around 1865 Length: 98.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you unscrew the handle you can take out of the shaft various utensils for salute shots including nine bullets, a ramrod, and gunpowder. The handle can be used as a gun for salute shots.

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41 Baton cane La Terrible (The Terrible) Shaft: metal with bamboo imitating Trompe-l’oeil painting Handle: lead with images of human figures Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Before 1900, patented in 1883 Length: 89.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The massive lead handle contains images of human figures and rocailles (shell-shaped ornaments) of the 19th century. By pulling out the lead handle, the cane is extended by 2.6 cm. At the same time, six rhombical sharply edged blades arranged in pairs of two emerge from the shaft. With these sharp blades you can defend yourself and cause cuts to your opponent if he tried to grab the cane.

Weapon canes Weapon canes represent the scarier side of gadget canes and often carry the highest price tags. They are among the most complex canes, since they were cleverly made to conceal a variety of deadly weapons. Seemingly harmless and simple in their appearance and with little embellishment, these canes could become a deadly weapon in no time at all. These weapon canes were so deceptive that the French government declared it illegal to carry a cane in a public meeting for fear that somebody might conceal harmful weapons, including rifles. These fears were apparently well-founded. Three of the most diabolical canes known to exist were worn by insurgents during the street riots in France in the 19th century. One such cane, patented in 1883 and aptly named La Terrible , contained three sets of double-edged razor blades that emerged from its painted metal shaft and ripped the hands of anyone who tried to grab it. This cane and two similarly equipped canes, La Diabolique and La Redoutable , were so dangerous that they were banned in France shortly after their production.

Trompe-l’oeil Trompe-l’oeil (in French: deceive the eye ) is an illusionistic painting that uses perspective to simulate three-dimensionality. The oldest preserved examples are known from Pompeii. The technique fell into oblivion during the Middle Ages, but was revived in the Renaissance, starting in Italy, with the rediscovery of perspective.

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42 Baton cane with skull Shaft: partridge (wood) Handle: bronze skull with hat Collar (transition from handle to shaft): bronze with inscription AM. Krüger Opalenitza 1890 Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron and iron tip Around 1890 Length: 92 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Very beautifully worked skull made of bronze with hat. The name of the former owner of this cane is written on the collar: AM. Krüger Opalenitza 1890. The massive handle could be used as a striking weapon by swinging the cane to drive away unwanted attackers.

Skull The skull is the symbol of fear par excellence. It symbolizes like no other the mankind’s primal fear of death. The skull symbol has always been used as an ornamental or decorative motif. It then has the function of demonstrating the supposedly deadly omnipotence of its wearers and to terrify others. It is supposed to inspire awe. Whether knights, buccaneers or soldiers, they all used skull images to represent themselves as a threat.

Partridge (wood) Partridge wood or pheasant wood, also boco wood, is the name for the wood of various tree species. The wood is characterized by a beautiful, often feathery striped and flamed grain, reminiscent of the plumage of a partridge.

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43 Baton cane with male head Shaft: wood, twisted Handle: tin cast head, nickel-plated with representation of a man Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel-plated tin casting with monogram KM Second collar: with ring-shaped attachment and metal dog whistle Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron and tip Before 1900 Length: 94.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

A very beautiful and elegant baton cane with the detailed representation of a nobleman’s head with hat and feather tail. This solid tin cast head could be used very well as a striking weapon due to its weight. A dog metal whistle hangs from a second collar.

Galton whistle and its inventor The Galton whistle was invented by Sir Francis Galton and is a ring gap whistle with a body closed at one end and variable in length to produce high frequencies. The frequencies range from the barely audible range for humans to far into the ultrasonic range. Galton developed the pipe, which was blown into with a rubber balloon, originally to determine the frequency just audible to humans. He discovered high frequency hearing loss in old age with it. It was also Galton who discovered at the London Zoo that some animals can hear these high frequencies. The Galton whistle, blown by mouth, is now only used for training animals such as dogs, cats and dolphins. The whistle is easily perceptible by the animal and can be heard over long distances, but for humans it is very quiet or not heard at all. When used as a dog whistle, disturbance in the environment is greatly reduced. Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911) was a British naturalist and writer. Galton is considered one of the fathers of eugenics. Due to his versatility he made a name for himself in various disciplines. He worked as a geographer and Africa researcher. As a meteorologist, he developed, among other things, the first weather map and studied the theory of heredity, in particular the inheritance of intelligence and talent. He wrote over 340 articles and books in total. Francis Galton was knighted in 1909 and was, like his cousin Charles Darwin, a grandson of Erasmus Darwin.

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44 Baton cane with man bust Shaft: Malacca (wood) with brass eyes and black textile tassel Handle: brass with male bust Ferrule (lower end of the cane): nickel and worn iron tip Around 1830 Length: 92.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The massive handle could be used as a striking weapon by swinging the cane to drive away unwanted attackers. The man’s bust on the cane could be a portrait of George Washington, the first president of the United States of America. He was in office from 1789 to 1797. The stand-up collar of the male bust carries the inscription Barillet .

45 Ladies’ weapon cane Shaft: Malacca (wood), light-colored Handle, conical: brass, nickel-plated Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel with push button Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass Before 1900, probably France Length: 90.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When the button on the collar is pressed, six sharp-edged steel thorns shoot up from the round handle. By pressing down the handle, they lock into place and an efficient and dangerous striking weapon is created. French patent from 1882. The first cane of this design was developed by engineers of Napoleon in Egypt. This weapon cane was intended as protection for the French ladies.

46 Baton cane Shaft: bamboo Handle: bamboo with rhino horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Before 1900 Length: 90.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The shaft contains a carving with the representation of a snake hunting a lizard. By pulling out and turning the upper fourth section of the cane, five steel cables up to 38 cm long with affixed lead ends can be pulled out of the lower part of the shaft. These steel ropes can be used as whips. In this way, unwanted attackers such as stray dogs could be kept away or driven away without seriously injuring them. At that time it was not unusual to be attacked by dogs even in cities.

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47 Steel whip cane Shaft: brass tube, painted imitating leather Handle: brass, heavy star-shaped Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass plate with iron tip Around 1925 Length: 91.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Centrifugal force allows the heavy brass handle to be ejected by a 19 cm steel spring. This dangerous gadget cane is also known as a manslayer. The injury potential of a manslayer, especially with the long lever arm of a walking cane, is enormous. The weapon is also dangerous because it is completely silent. For this reason, these weapons found a sad revival in the trench warfare of World War I. The carrying of a baton is nowadays forbidden in almost all European countries. This regulation also applies to the historical baton cane.

48 Gadget cane as throwing stiletto Shaft: Malacca (wood), long, stepped Handle: iron, cylindrical with built-in opening flap Collar (transition from handle to shaft): iron Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, 14.5 cm long Around 1750 Length: 111 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The uppermost stepped part served as a handle for support when getting out of the high wobbly carriages. In addition, a 12.6 cm long stiletto can be swung out of the handle in case of danger. Thus, you get a 124 cm long lance for self-defense. The long ferrule at the end of the cane also provided protection from dirt in the alleys. Very early and very well preserved weapon cane of the late 17th or 18th century.

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49 Gadget cane with lance Shaft: wood, reddish brown with leather handle Ball handle: ivory with fire gilded coat of arms with lion head and lily Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, two pieces Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, 13.9 cm long, turned and decorated Before 1900 Length: 96.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can pull out the ball handle made of ivory and from the shaft you can throw out a spear-like extension with a Toledo stiletto blade of 12.9 cm. This way the cane is transformed into a lance with a total length of 167 cm. For balancing, a 4.8 cm long part of the brass ferrule can be unscrewed to prevent the lance from flying too tail-heavy.

Lance A lance is a pole weapon designed as a stabbing weapon, which usually has a tip. The term is derived from the Latin word lancea , which was used for the light throwing spear of the Roman auxiliary troops. Due to a change in meaning over time, the use of the term is not uniform. From the 15th century onwards, the term was used for heavy spears, which served as stabbing weapons for the cavalry. Since that time, the term has also been used to describe spears carried by foot troops as stabbing weapons, as they were used by infantry in ancient times. According to modern terminology, the lance is the stabbing weapon of horsemen and the spear is the stabbing weapon of soldiers fighting on foot or a throwing weapon. Until the early Middle Ages, the lance was not placed under the arm, which is necessary to transfer the full force of the horse to the weapon, but swung over the head. Since when lances were held under the arm is not quite clear. It is assumed that this became common in the late 11th century. The technique of carrying the weapon under the arm likely required the use of stirrups.

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50 Gadget cane with throwing stiletto Shaft: wood, colored Handle, round hook-shaped: horn, punched and with floral decorations Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver by the silversmith Charles Wright Chester 1744 Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass Manufacturer of the blade: Thomas Brigg & Sons, London Probably mid-19th century Length: 87.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By swinging the cane from top to bottom, a square-shaped 14.1 cm long steel stylet with a blued flame can be thrown out of the brass ferrule. This stiletto engages by means of a spring. The manufacturer punched on the blade: Brigg London.

Charles Wright Chester Possibly the oldest processing silversmith in the world. The origin of this company goes back to Anthony Nelme around 1680. Francis Nelme inherited the business after the death of his father in 1722 and continued to run it until 1739 when Thomas Whipham took over. After his death in 1756, his son Thomas Whipham Jr. entered into partnership with Charles Wright. Thomas retired in 1775 and the business was continued by Charles Wright.

Stiletto A stiletto is a stabbing weapon from the dagger family with a slim, very thin and pointed blade, usually with a triangular cross- section. In its country of origin, Italy, this weapon was also called Misericordia (lat. Mercy ), in the German-speaking world, the giver or bringer of mercy. This popular stabbing weapon can be traced back to the early 16th century. The purpose of the relatively narrow but long and stable blade is to cause as little visible damage as possible, such as considerable blood flow, but to cause considerable internal damage that is as deadly as possible. The stiletto thus allows for a rather inconspicuous killing, which favors the escape of the perpetrator. The stiletto experienced its heyday around 1600, but went out of fashion again 50 years later. Since stilettos were considered insidious, they were banned by many city authorities. Its small dimensions, however, allowed stilettos to be easily hidden in clothing, so that the official prohibition usually proved futile.

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51 Baton with rapier Shaft: Malacca (wood), brown Handle: brass with the position of a seated monkey holding a monogram sign on his belly with the inscription A C and horn, 9 cm long Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Before 1900 Length: 92.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Pulling the brass handle out of the genuine Malacca shaft releases a 70.4 cm long rapier blade with a 9 cm long horn handle. In this way, a serious cutting, striking and stabbing weapon is created.

52 Baton cane with rapier Shaft: partridge (wood), stepped Handle: bronze with the representation of the French Marianne Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Before 1900 Length: 91.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Pulling out the bronze handle and the 9.8 cm long wooden handle as part of the shaft releases a 68.5 cm long nickel-plated Toledo rapier blade.

Marianne Marianne is the national figure of the French Republic. The name Marianne can stand as a (personified national) allegory for the French nation. During the French Revolution, Marianne, until then merely a name widely used by the people, became a symbol of freedom and thus also of the French Republic. She thus succeeded Francia (or Gallia), the allegory of the Kingdom of France, who accompanied the French king in courtly pictorial representations. In pictures of Marianne her head is usually covered with the Phrygian cap and usually one or even both breasts uncovered. She is famous in Eugene Delacroix’ paining Liberty Leading the People which he created during the July Revolution of 1830. Busts of Marianne decorate practically all French town halls, as a statue many squares (for example the Place de la Nation and the Place de la Republique in Paris). Marianne symbolizes the French nation on stamps, coins (1, 2 and 5 cents) and other objects. First written mention of the name Marianne as a name for the French Republic dates from October 1792 in Puylaurens, Tarn department. From time to time, the bust of Marianne is regularly re-created in the style of prominent French women and exhibited in the local town halls: 1968: Brigitte Bardot (actress) 1978: Mireille Mathieu (singer) 1985: Catherine Deneuve (actress) 2012: Sophie Marceau (actress)

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53 Gadget cane with cutting or stabbing weapon Shaft: wood Handle: ivory and metal Collar (transition from handle to shaft): ivory with metal flower ornament Probably around 1870 Length: 92 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The handle consists of a filigree carved ivory head. The representation shows a man with noble features, moustache and beard. He wears a helmet in the shape of a conquistador's helmet. The only difference is the visor, which can be folded down. The helmet is elaborate and completely chased. The representation of a face is recognizable on the fold-down visor. It could possibly represent a deity. When you pull out the handle, a metal blade appears, which is completely hidden in the shaft. The blade contains the following engravings: KLINTHAL , two crowns with sword plus COULAUX with crown and sword

COULAUX & CIE., 1838–1962 The Coulaux family, or Coulaux & Cie., purchased the royal forge and sword-making facilities of Klingenthal, France in 1838. Prior to sale, however, they were the facility’s operators from 1801 –1836. They were blade-makers, fourbisseurs (cutlers) and military sword manufacturers. The production of fencing blades and weapons began in 1850, and the Coulaux operators also exported their fencing blades to fourbisseurs and fencing supply houses such as Castello Fencing Equipment Co. of the United States and Souzy de Lacam of France. Ultimately a tumultuous era of occupations, liberations and World Wars suppressed the manufacturing down to only a dozen workers in 1955, mainly producing forged sickles and civilian tools. The forge hammers of Klingenthal eventually fell silent on February 1st, 1962.

Conquistador Conquistador (Spanish and Portuguese conquistador = conqueror ) is used as a collective term for the soldiers, explorers and adventurers who took possession of large parts of North, Central and South America as well as the Philippines and other islands as Spanish colonies during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Chasing Chasing is a form of metalworking in which the metal is not cut, but rather driven or pressed over a soft surface with a hammer and stamps, so that lines and relief-like shapes are created that look similar to casts of negative hollow cuts, but with softer edges. Chasing is used to decorate metallic surfaces, for example on a piece of jewelry, a watch (pocket watch) or weapons (especially revolvers).

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54 Gadget cane with stiletto Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: buffalo horn, conical, fluted Collar (transition from handle to shaft): bronze with floral pattern Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, black oxidized with iron tip Before 1900 Length: 84.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By pressing a button on the bronze collar, a magnificent 39.6 cm long stiletto with etched and engraved floral ornaments can be pulled out of the shaft. The decorated blood grooves of the blade are also gold-plated. The blood grooves was used to reduce weight and stabilize the blade as well as for ornamentation. This stabbing weapon is representative of excellent craftsmanship, which probably originated in the late 18th or early 19th century.

55 Gadget cane with rapier Shaft: bamboo, flamed Ball handle: ivory in the shape of a primate skull Collar (transition handle to shaft): silver with engraving of an angel Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel-plated with iron tip Before 1900 Length: 92.1 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When the handle is turned, the holding mechanism is unblocked and a rhombically cut and floral, blue-toned Toledo rapier with a blade length of 71.6 cm can be pulled out. The upper wooden section functions as a handle and the ivory knob as a stop.

Weapon canes Weapon canes which contained pointed steel blades inside the shaft existed already in the 16th century. You could pull these weapons out of the cane with the handle. These weapon canes were especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. In addition to canes with stabbing or striking weapons, there were also some containing pistols or even rifles. In some countries, the use of gun canes was so widespread that laws and regulations were passed to restrict or even prohibit them. In some countries, this prohibition still applies today.

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56 Gadget cane with rapier Shaft: wood with black lacquered string decorations and spiral cord wrapped around Handle: silver in the shape of a Jacobin cap Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron with iron tip Before 1900 Length: 88.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By pulling out the handle with silver nails between the silver grip and the cord collar, a 65.4 cm long sharply edged rapier blade is released. Both sides of the blade carry the royalist inscription: Vive le Roy and the Bourbon coat of arms with a laughing sun below it as an allusion to Louis XIV the Sun King. The peculiarity of this cane is, that a blade loyal to the king was hidden in a Jacobin cane.

Jacobin cap During the French Revolution, the Phrygian cap (French bonnet rouge) was worn by the Jacobins as an expression of their political commitment. They mistakenly believed that the Phrygian cap was worn by freed slaves in ancient times, when they in fact wore a pileus. This is why it became a symbol of democratic and republican sentiment in the political iconography of France and the whole of Europe as a freedom cap, but also a symbol of the Jacobin’s reign of terror among the opponents of the revolution. The French symbolic figure of Marianne is also often depicted wearing a Jacobin cap.

57 Gadget cane with stiletto Shaft: Malacca (wood), long with oval eyelet and 25 cm long, eggplant-colored textile tassel looped through it Round handle: ivory Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, 18 cm long with iron tip Around 1780 Length: 103.8 cm Lender: Private collection from the region

You can pull up the ivory handle with the grip up to the brass collar. You can then pull out of the shaft a triangular, 76 cm long stiletto blade tapering to a point. This cutting and stabbing weapon was very helpful in the 17th and 18th centuries when it came to keeping attackers at bay. In addition, this cane, with its total length of over one meter, was also very helpful when getting out of the high and wobbly carriages of that time. The long ferrule was also very useful, because in those days the roads were often very dirty and therefore the Malacca shaft did not come into contact with the dirt.

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58 Gadget cane with stiletto Shaft: iron, forged, silver and gold-inlaid Round handle: iron, forged with symbolized mythical creature Makara Ferrule (lower end of the cane): silver, not hallmarked Before 1900 Length: 87.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you unscrew the iron shaft, a 53 cm long stiletto blade is released, which is embedded in the forged round hook handle. This cane with a very powerful stabbing weapon was probably made in Maharashtra, an Indian state in the western and central part of the country in the 19th century. Due to the existing traces of use, one can assume that this cane was very often carried with one hand on the shaft when walking fast and less on the round hook handle.

Makara A Makara is a being from Hindu mythology. He is the mount of the Hindu river gods Ganga and Varuna. It is also one of the insignia of Kamadeva, a Hindu god representing love and lust. Makaras are traditionally regarded as water creatures, in some ancient texts they are compared to a crocodile, in others with a dolphin. Again other sources describe a Makara as a hybrid being with the body of a fish and the head of an elephant. Sometimes it is also considered a mythical creature made up of elephant, turtle, fish and crocodile, whose characteristics it embodies. All plant and animal food comes out of his mouth; it is therefore also considered to be the fertility genius.

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59 Gadget cane with cutting and stabbing weapon Shaft: Malacca (wood) Round hook (handle): Malacca, bent with screwed on colored dragon head Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver wire, braided Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron and iron tip 3.5 cm Around 1870 Length: 88 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Due to the heavy iron dragon head, the cane end with the iron tip becomes very agile and is therefore excellent for fencing and keeping attackers away with slashing and stabbing weapons.

The cane as a weapon There is no weapon more terrible or worse than a good cane in the hand of a man who knows how to use it. This was recorded in a book back in 1899. It is indeed the case that a strong and flexible cane is an excellent weapon, and if you study cane fencing and cane self- defense more intensively, you will find that most weapon canes are insidious offensive weapons. Because weapon canes are always hidden weapons. They are more suitable for attacking than just defending, since the canes always have to be prepared first for the fight. For example, the rapier must be pulled out of the shaft and the baton must first be unlocked and then pulled out. The joy of inventing and constructing has produced a myriad of weapons hidden in canes for striking, thrusting and shooting.

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60 Baton cane La Redoutable (The Dreaded) Shaft: hazel wood, reddish stained Round handle: hazel wood, reddish stained Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, conically tapering Before 1900 Length: 94.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By pulling the round hook handle from the iron ferrule with the Swiss cross and the numbers 36 and 580, the cane is extended by 0.4 cm. At the same time, seven alternately arranged trapezoidal barbs emerge from the shaft. Severe cuts can be inflicted on an attacker with these sharp knives.

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61 Gadget cane with rapier cross-guard Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: silver decorated with rocailles (shell-shaped ornaments) and central monogram SS Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: Adam & Cie, Paris Before 1900, France Length: 89.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When the handle is turned, the holding mechanism is unlocked and a sword with a 69 cm long Toledo blade and fold-out cross- guard as hand protection can be pulled out. It is a high-quality fencing, cutting and stabbing weapon. O. Adam et Cie, 113 Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris. Armuriers, arquebusiers, gunners. Succes, de E.Gourdin, boul. Sevastopol. 113: cannes armées. Cannes-fusils. Cannes épées à gardes. It was common practice for manufacturers of sword wood to import blades into France from other countries.

Cross-guard The cross-guard is the crosspiece between the bottom of the handle and the blade of a sword or knife. The purpose of the cross-guard is to protect your hand from the opponent’s sword or knife blade, which may intentionally or unintentionally slide down on the sword or knife and hit the hand when the blades meet in combat. The cross-guard also prevents the hands of the swordsman from being squeezed or sliding forward when hitting a shield and getting hurt on the blade.

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62 Gadget cane with masonic ceremonial sword Shaft: iron, black lacquered and conically tapering Handle: nickel-plated brass, hemispherical Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: KENNING LITTLE BRITAIN LONDON Before 1900, England Length: 87.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The handle can be removed from the shaft by a quarter turn. The ceremonial sword in a leather scabbard with the monogram HR can then be removed from the shaft. A separately carried red velvet pouch contains a fire-gilded handle and a cross- guard. These two parts can be screwed onto the sword blade in the leather sheath. The result is an 86.3 cm long ceremonial sword with a magnificent, lenticular blade. Engraved on it are floral decorations, the Masonic rank insignia in the shape of a cross, and the name of the manufacturer: KENNING LITTLE BRITAIN LONDON. The bag also contains a silver-plated brass badge that can be attached to the clothing with the inscriptions: DEO REGI FRATRIBUS HONOR FIDELITAS BENEVOLENTIA and TRUTH, WISDOM, PEACE, STRENGTH, CONCORD, BEAUTY.

Freemasonry Freemasonry has a long tradition in Europe, especially in England. The beginnings of its history as well as the customs, rituals and symbols used in Freemasonry go back to the Stonemasonry Brotherhood and their mason’s lodges. Freemasonry, also called Royal Art, is understood as an ethical union of free men with the conviction that constant work on oneself leads to a more humane behavior. The five basic ideals of Freemasonry are freedom, equality, fraternity, tolerance and humanity. They are to be lived through practical training in everyday life. The Freemasons organize themselves in lodges. According to its self-image, Freemasonry unites people of all social classes, educational levels and religious beliefs. Freemasons have committed themselves to secrecy and in particular to the principle that Masonic customs and lodge matters should not be disclosed to the outside world. This is intended to facilitate the free exchange of ideas and opinions internally. In principle, most rituals are accessible through relevant literature. The ceremonies and old charges of speculative Freemasonry are traced back to the customs and documents of historical stonemasonry brotherhoods, such as the Regius manuscript from 1390 and the Cooke manuscript from the 14th and 15th centuries. Two of the most famous Masonic symbols are angles and compasses. The mutual pledge of secretiveness does not serve the purpose of secrecy, but is intended to provide privacy. In discussions, disputes about political and religious matters are frowned upon. Likewise, Freemasons are obligated to respect the laws of their own country. The seat of the lodges, their chairmen and their statutes are known, their writings and descriptions of Freemasonry rituals are publicly accessible to everyone in city libraries and archives and are therefore, in contrast to conspiracy theory, not a conspiratorial secret society. The relationship between Freemasonry and religion is often tense but differentiated. Lodges rooted in the French, secular tradition avoid religious definitions and understand themselves as purely secular, ethical association. Groups that derive their

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world view from English Freemasonry, which is also the case with the majority of the lodges active in Germany, basically presuppose a divine order, but in their old charges they demand that the subject of religion should not be the subject of disputes in the lodge. An explicit religious confession of the individual member is also not required. The Roman Catholic Church considers membership of Freemasonry to be incompatible with its principles. In 1974 in Mecca, the Islamic World League declared Freemasonry to be incompatible with Islam. It calls upon all Muslims who belong to a lodge to resign. Communist states, led by the Soviet Union, banned Freemasonry.

63 Gadget cane for freemasons Shaft: snakewood Ball handle: silver, elaborately engraved, hinged Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver, elaborately engraved Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn Around 1890, probably USA Length: 88.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The silver ball or apple made of silver can be opened at the top and releases a pyramid with Masonic symbols.

Freemasonry Freemasonry, also called Royal Art, is understood as an ethical union of free men with the conviction that constant work on oneself leads to a more humane behavior. The five basic ideals of Freemasonry are freedom, equality, fraternity, tolerance and humanity. They are to be lived through practical training in everyday life. The Freemasons organize themselves in lodges. According to its self-image, Freemasonry unites people of all social classes, educational levels and religious beliefs. The Constitution (Old Charges) of the first Grand Lodge was publicly promoted in the British Postboy on February 28, 1723, and forms the basis of Freemasonry today. Together with the salons, reading societies and other associations of the early Enlightenment, the lodges created a new form of publicity throughout Europe and contributed to the dissemination of Enlightenment ideas. The historically handed down symbols such as trowel, angle and compass are still part of the Freemasons’ inventory today.

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64 Shooting cane for poachers Shaft: iron Round handle): iron Collar (transition from handle to shaft): iron Tip removable (lower end of the cane): iron, square, tapering Before 1870 Length: 84.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can unscrew the round hook handle from the shaft. Afterwards the barrel can be loaded with a 10 mm shotshell. You then screw the round hook handle back on and the iron tip is removed from the barrel. The trigger can be cocked like a bayonet by turning the collar and pushing it up. The shooting cane is now ready to fire. To pull the trigger, the brass pin on the cuff is moved so that the firing pin strikes the cartridge’s primer. This cane was popular with poachers. They could take a walk with it in the woods without being suspicious. Even if he met the forest owner or forester, they did not recognize him as a poacher. But at the right moment he had the opportunity to shoot a game.

Poaching Originally, everyone had the right to hunt. This right was not attacked until well into the Middle Ages, and so every free man, especially the peasants, were allowed to hunt in order to either defend their livestock or land from game damage or to obtain food. However, with the ever-increasing dependence of the peasants on their lords and the increasing possession of free lands by the nobility, this right was increasingly eroded. When the aristocracy began to consider hunting a sporting challenge and an enjoyable pastime, the right of big game hunting was finally withdrawn from the citizens and made punishable. Harvest damage caused by game browsing and crop failures, caused by field damage of noble hunting parties who rushed over the fields (without claim for compensation for those affected) increased. At the same time, forest officials or persons authorized by the sovereign took over the protection, care and monitoring of the hunting ground. All hunters who became illegal as a result were henceforth called poachers or unauthorized hunters and were regarded and prosecuted as criminals because they touched the property of the land owner. Despite all the romanticism of poachers, it should be understood that poachers were often criminals who cared little for human life. The many documented cases of murdered foresters and gamekeepers bear witness to this. On the other hand, many a poacher had no other way to save himself and his family from starvation. With the revolution of 1848, the hunting privilege of the nobility was abolished as well. But this did not initially result in a decline in poaching, since the hunting right was linked to land ownership or the acquisition of a hunting permit as proof of entitlement.

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65 Shooting cane from Remington Shaft: steel, plastic coated Handle: plastic, molded in the shape of a dog’s head Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, permanently mounted Manufacturer: E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York (USA) About 1860, USA Length: 96.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By unscrewing the handle, the barrel can be easily loaded with an 8 mm cartridge. When the handle is pulled out in a straight line, the trigger mechanism is cocked and a rear sight is folded up for aiming. The shaft is triggered by a push button on the shaft. The hollow ferrule does not need to be removed. This rifle cane was developed by J.F. Thomas, who received the patent for it on 9 February 1858. These canes were praised as The Remington Rifle Cane – Protection against Dogs and Highwaymen).

E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York (USA) E. Remington and Sons (1816 –1896) was a manufacturer of firearms and typewriters. The company was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington under the name E. Remington in Ilion, New York (USA). In 1839, his eldest son Philo Remington joined the company and in 1845, his second son Samuel joined as well. The company changed its name to E. Remington & Sons. Remington’s third son, Eliphalet III, was to join the company later as well. During this time the Remingtons specialized almost exclusively in the manufacture of rifle barrels. These barrels were marked with the distinctive REMINGTON stamp. They were sought after for their quality and reasonable price. Many, if not most, of the independent gunsmiths in the Mohawk Valley purchased finished (but not rifled) barrels from Remington and assembled them into firearms ordered by their customers. As demand increased, the Remingtons added further pieces to their inventory, initially percussion locks, which were made in Birmingham, England, but carried their REMINGTON stamp. In 1848, the company purchased gun making machinery from the Arnes Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, and took over a contract for Jenks breechloader strike carbines for the US Navy. Remington supplied the US Navy with their first breechloader rifles. Remington supplied the US Army with rifles during the Mexican-American War (1846 to 1848). Further contracts followed in the 1850s. In 1856 the business was expanded to include the manufacture of agricultural equipment. After Eliphalet’s death in 1861, his son Philo took over the company during the Civil War and diversified the product line with sewing machines (manufactured from 1870 to 1894) and typewriters (1873). Both products were exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876.

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66 Shooting cane of Dumonthier Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: wood in the shape of a hunting dog with a cane of horn in the snout, plaited leather loop Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel with inscription DUMONTHIER Bte S.G.D.G Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, removable Manufacturer: Dumonthier, Paris (France) Before 1870, France Length: 94.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By turning the handle a quarter of a turn to the left and pulling it up, the loading chamber is exposed. You can then insert an 11 mm shotgun shell. If the handle is then pushed down, the loading chamber closes and is locked with a quarter turn of the handle. Once the ferrule has been removed from the shaft, the shooting cane is ready to fire. The shaft is triggered by pressing the button on the collar.

Dumonthier, Paris Joseph-Célestin Dumonthier came from Houdan, France, around 1840 and had his own shop in Paris for almost half a century, specializing in combined weapons. From 1840 to 1872 he filed about ten patents for the production of shooting canes. Rifle canes, blowgun canes, but also knife pistols and dagger revolvers. He had the craftsmanship to combine high quality weapons. He was extremely successful in this field. His weapons are beautiful, but above all functional and of impressive efficiency. His social advancement goes hand in hand with the growth of his wealth. In 1850 he had a shop in Rue Saint-Martin, in 1870 he was located at 79 Faubourg Saint-Martin, and after setting up a factory in Sailleville to produce parts for export, he moved to 23 Rue des Petits Hôtels in 1890. His trademark, registered in February 1867, shows the letters E and L side by side. Despite the success he had had in his field, Dumonthier knew that he had to diversify. During the Second Empire (1852–1870) the pinfire revolver (revolver à broche) patented by Eugene Lefaucheux was at its height. But the gunsmith of the Rue de Vivienne applied for further patents. This forced competitors to move into areas where their hands were not tied. This need for innovation to circumvent the master patent of Lefaucheux gave rise to a new generation of gadget handguns. Although the essential components were protected by Lefaucheux’s patents, his competitors succeeded in developing their own systems by adding details of locking modes, security or extraction systems.

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67 Rifle support cane from Wolff Shaft: bamboo Round handle: lime wood with a fold-out metal clasp embedded in it Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass with locking screw, engraved F.W WOLFF JOACHIMSTHAL I/M Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, 13.5 cm long Manufacturer: F.W. Wolff, Joachimsthal (Germany) Before 1870, probably Germany Length: 92.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The cane can easily pierce into rough ground with the 13.5 cm long, pointed iron ferrule. By loosening the retaining screw on the brass collar, the round hook handle can be extended continuously up to a total height of 157 cm and fastened individually. A stable rifle and monocular support adapted to the terrain is created with the folded out metal clip on the handle. Thus it was possible to aim or observe without any wobbling.

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68 Pistol cane Pepperbox Shaft: wood, black colored, conical tapering Round handle: horn in the shape of the Bec de corbin (raven’s beak) Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel Ferrule (lower end of the cane): nickel with iron tip Around 1870, France Length: 85.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By turning a third turn to the left and pulling up the hook handle, a six-shot engraved and nickel-plated drum revolver with a central stiletto can be pulled out of the wooden shaft. Master mark U with double crown and factory number 3144, 6 mm caliber. This French patent later became known and feared under the name Pepperbox-Stiletto . This is because this multi- shot weapon with stiletto poses a lethal charge for a possible attacker. However, this pistol with the 11.5 cm long stiletto is only suitable for defense in close combat, because of its very short drum barrel of 2.8 cm. But you can fight off several people at the same time without having to reload. The model on display is an earlier development of the system patented in 1892, which has always been engraved with PARIS AJ BREVETE in reference to the manufacturer Joubert.

Pepperbox also called pepper-pot A pepperbox revolver is a handgun that has several barrels arranged around an axis. This is in contrast to a normal revolver, which has a barrel and a drum with several drum chambers. After each shot, the entire barrel bundle is rotated one station further. Precursors of the pepperbox were reversible pistols with usually two and rarely with three barrels. There was a lock (weapon), the barrel intended for firing was turned in front of the lock. Multi- barreled revolvers were built in England from 1770 onwards. These were flintlock firearms. The barrel bundle had to be turned by hand. These pepperbox revolvers were still too fragile to be serviceable. Pepperbox revolvers were invented before the regular revolvers and were common at the beginning of the 19th century.

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69 Pistol cane by Brigg Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: horn, round with pull-out central button and punched silver ferrule (London Silversmith J.I.) Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: Thomas Brigg & Sons, London Before 1870, England Lender: private collection from the region

The horn handle with handle can be pulled straight out of the Malakka shaft, revealing a built-in and engraved pistol with silver decoration and a total length of 27.7 cm. The barrel has a diameter of 8 mm. The cane bears the patent of Brig, London with crown and master stamp. The pistol has to be loaded with black powder and lead ball through the barrel opening. By pulling up the handle and twisting it a quarter turn, the striker pin can be tightened and locked. The primer can now be inserted into a side opening of the barrel. The single-shot pistol is ready to fire and the shot can be triggered by a quarter turn of the knob. You hold the pistol with one hand and with the other trigger the shot.

Thomas Brigg & Sons, London Thomas Brigg & Sons was probably founded in 1836 and conducted its business in St. James’s Street, London. The company produced umbrellas and canes. An insurance file from 1809 provides early evidence that Charles Brigg was a plumassier or feather-maker, working as a manufacturer and supplier of feathers for the military. In 1828 Charles Briggs’ son, Thomas Edward, opened his own branch at 23 St. James’s Street in London. An advertisement in the Morning Post of 21 May 1828 shows that he had added the sale and repair of parasols to his business. In 1852, the company was operating under the name Thomas Brigg & Sohn. This suggests that Thomas’ son Edward had joined the family business. When Edward’s brother (another Thomas) entered into a partnership with him, the company began trading as Thomas Brigg & Sons. In 1861, the company had five employees. In 1879, the silversmith Charles Henry Dumenil (1853–1921) registered his brand CD with the Goldsmith Company. Together with William Henry Brigg he patented improvements in the combination of pencils and the like with walking canes and the like in 1894. As early as 1881,Thomas Brigg Jr. already had fifteen employees. In December 1884, Thomas Brigg & Sons received recognition as an umbrella manufacturer from Queen Victoria. In 1899 the company expanded to the continental market. They opened an exhibition space at 33 Avenue de l’Opéra in Paris. This establishment acquired other royal patrons, among them the King and Queen of Spain. By 1914, there were approved sales outlets for Brigg umbrellas in Barcelona, Berlin, Biarritz, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Florence, Madrid, Naples, Nice, Palermo, Rome, and Vienna. In 1919, the company bought the goodwill and shares of the French parasol manufacturer, Bétaille, in the rue Royale in Paris. In 1931, Bertie and Guy Brigg converted the company into a public company, and five years later, they launched the ultra-flat Centenary umbrella . One Brigg umbrella was to become world famous. It was Neville Chamberlain’s black silk umbrella, which he took with him to

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Munich in September 1938 for talks with Adolf Hitler and to Rome in January 1939 to visit Benito Mussolini. The newspapers saw a symbol of hope in this umbrella. In July 1939, Life magazine spoke of an umbrella of appeasement. Hitler, angry with the participants of the Munich conference, ranted about the so-called umbrella politicians. It was a sad irony that the war broke out only months after Chamberlain’s attempt to avert it, and that soon afterwards, in 1940, the Thomas Brigg & Sons company lost its Paris showroom to the German occupiers of France. In February 1943 the company merged with Swaine & Adeney to form Swaine, Adeney, Brigg & Sons Ltd. The merger was supervised by Bertie Brigg. Brigg’s gave up their store in St. James’s Street but kept their canes and umbrellas factory in Newbury Street, City of London.

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70 Rifle cane Tir Féderal Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: Silver, conical with depiction of a Swiss rifleman and the inscription TIR FEDERAL GENEVE 1887 Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip About 1887 Length: 89.3 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Popular souvenir or prize cane of the Swiss Schützenfest in Geneva in 1887.

The Federal Schützenfest (marksmen’s festival) The Federal Schützenfest (French Fête Fédérale de Tir, Italian Festa tiro federale, Rhaeto-Romanic Festa federala da tir) is considered one of the most important national events of the modern federal state and modern democracy in Switzerland. The Schützenfest played a key role in the development of Switzerland as a nation created by the voluntary association of different communities and continues to be important for its cohesion. Its traditional roots are closely linked to the Old Swiss Confederacy and its aspirations for alliance and sovereignty. In Switzerland, Organized shooting began in the 14th century, when shooting was considered an important part of military service and in the cities, marksmen joined together in associations. These associations were supported by the governments. Compulsory military service began at the age of 16. The Schützenfest began to play an important role in the Confederation of eight cantons during the 15th century. The joint crossbow shooting competition contributed significantly to the cohesion of the individual cantons. The beginning of the Reformation divided the various municipalities of the Confederation, brought about the definitive end of the Old Swiss Confederacy’s expansionary phase and ushered in a phase of internal conflict and a paralysis of the political structure. As a result, the Schützenfest degenerated for over a century. But the old awareness of federal defensiveness had not disappeared. The love for guns and shooting was revived and in 1802 the first new Vaud Shooting Society was founded, others followed in other cantons. In connection with the creation of the federal state in 1848, the cultivation of federal ties became a priority once again. The Federal Schützenfest of 1849 in Aarau was the first after the foundation of the modern Swiss state and celebrated its achievements.

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71 Gadget cane with dog whistle Shaft: Malacca (wood) Handle: ivory, angled in the shape of a greyhound Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver, hallmarked, Chester 1789 Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and iron tip Around 1789, England Length: 90.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The ivory handle in the shape of a greyhound contains a wooden signal whistle with a reddish-brown tassel. You can pull it out and use it as a dog whistle. With it you can call your dog or give further orders.

72 Gadget cane with signal whistle Shaft: rosewood Handle: silver, detachable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Around 1920 Length: 92.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can remove the lid from the handle and pull out a signal whistle. You could use this whistle to call the police in an emergency.

73 Gadget cane with dog whistle and leash holder Shaft: wood, red-brown Handle: brass, nickel-plated with snap hook and dog whistle Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass Around 1900 Length: 85.4 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Blowing into the mouthpiece produces a bright sounding signal tone to call back a free-running dog. With the snap hook, the dog can then be put on the leash by clicking on the collar, with the reverse cane then serving as a leash .

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74 Gadget cane with siren Shaft: wood, black Handle: tin cast, nickel-plated with rocaille decorations (shell- shaped ornaments) Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Around 1890 Length: 92.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

By blowing strongly and continuously into the round handle hole, a rotating disk siren is set in motion, which emits its siren-like tones through the lateral handle holes. These noisemakers were used at various events to attract attention or to express one’s opinion. This type of noisemaker was also used at political events or election meetings in the USA.

75 Gadget cane with signal whistle Shaft: Malacca (wood), light-colored Round handle: brass, cylindrical with circular sound hole and on it ivory mouthpiece, turned Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Around 1870 Length: 94.9 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you blow into the mouthpiece, a bright, shrill sound is heard. This signal whistle could have been used to dispatch a steam-driven train in a noisy station. The manufacturer is unknown.

76 Gadget cane with whistle for doormen Shaft: wooden Handle: wooden round handle with carved dog head made of horn Ferrule: metal Around 1910 Length: 90.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

A signal whistle produced by the English company, Acme, is integrated in the shaft. This type of gadget cane was often used by doormen of hotels or noble apartment buildings to stop taxis.

Acme whistles J. Hudson & Co was founded in Birmingham in the 1870s by Joseph Hudson (1848 –1930) and his brother James Hudson (1850 –1889). The company became one of the leading producers of whistles. Acme is the world’s largest and best known manufacturer of whistles today. Its headquarters are located in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England.

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77 Gadget cane with telescope, demountable Shaft: wood, black colored and screwed together in the middle Handle: brass, cylindrical from a collapsed horizontal telescope Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, screwed on Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with rubber tip Manufacturer: Thos. J. Evans, London (England) Around 1900 Length: 93.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

You can unscrew the telescope from the shaft. The shaft in turn can be divided into two parts of equal length. Such sailor’s or captains’ canes were suitable for being stowed disassembled in any duffel bag. The rubber tip prevented the cane from scratching the ship deck. The four-part telescope can be extended to a total Length of 40.6 cm. Manufacturer according to engraving: THOS J. EVANS LONDON. This company supplied the English Navy with compasses.

78 Gadget cane as telescope Shaft: wood, machined Handle: wood, brass Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass Probably beginning of 20th century Length: 95 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The handle cover can be removed and the inner part pulled up to the stop. You can then tilt the tube and pull out the telescope up to approximately 40 cm. The shaft can be used as a support leg for the telescope.

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79 Gadget cane with telescope Shaft: Black colored with silver-plated copper eyelets and leather ribbon looped through it Ball handle: ivory, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): copper, silver-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, unscrewable and extra long 14.3 cm Around 1800 Length: 95.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you unscrew the ivory handle and the brass collar, a telescope is released. It runs through the entire shaft. It can be extended to an impressive total Length of 95.3 cm. Such long telescopes are suitable for long distances and were often used by retired captains to observe ships from land while walking.

Gadget cane with telescope Spyglasses were often mounted on canes. The inventory list of the Viennese treasury from 1750 included a cane in three sections, one of which contained a telescope. Among the well- known canes with telescopes are those of King Charles XII of Sweden (1682–1718) and Frederick the Great (1712–1786). In England it was common practice for naval officers to be given a cane with a telescope at the end of their career. It was often engraved with their name. For this reason these canes are often called Admiral canes .Admiral Horatio Nelson owned one as well. In Belgium this cane is called Harbor Master cane . This gadget cane was the optimal solution to have an object close at hand that would otherwise be very unwieldy.

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80 Gadget cane with telescope and compass Shaft: Malacca (wood) with oval eyelets and black textile tassel looped through Ball handle: buffalo horn, black on 18 cm long fluted ray skin (galuchat) and a brass ferrule followed by braided sailor's yarn. Collar (transition from handle to shaft): Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Around 1880 Length: 86.8 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you unscrew the horn handle, a compass embedded in it becomes visible. A three-part telescope is concealed in the ray skin collar which can be unscrewed from the shaft. It can be extended to a Length of 41.9 cm. The brass collar is marked with PATENT. An indication that a patent application exists for this gadget cane. The manufacturer is unknown. It is a sailor’s cane of extraordinary beauty and quality.

The Compass The compass is an instrument for determining a fixed direction, such as cardinal points, navigation course, bearing. Originally, the compass was used in seafaring to supplement other methods of navigation, for example using the sun, stars and landmarks, currents, waves and water depth. The oldest version of a compass is the sight, which allows you to aim at the North Star on a clear night. The classic instrument is the mechanical magnetic compass, which uses the earth’s magnetic field to determine the magnetic north direction and, from this, all other cardinal points. Other designs are electronic (magnetic) compasses based on Hall effect sensors or fluxgate magnetometers. The latter can be used to determine the magnitude and direction of the Earth’s magnetic field to an accuracy of 1/100,000 of the absolute value. Gyro compasses, whose mode of operation is based on the rotation of the earth, work completely without using the earth’s magnetic field. The directional measurement is made with respect to the geographical north-south direction instead of the magnetic poles. There are also gyroscope instruments without directional reference (free gyroscopes such as the heading indicator), which, however, must be periodically readjusted. Solar compasses function without a magnetic field as well. A compass with a bearing device is also called a bussola. This term is mostly used in surveying technology for precision direction finding compasses, but especially in Austria and Italy, a simple hiking or marching compass is referred to by that term as well.

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81 Gadget cane for safari Shaft: horn of the African gemsbok (oryx horn) Handle: oryx horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Around 1880, England Length: 87.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you pull off the handle you can pull out a brass telescope from the shaft. This telescope can be extended.

The gemsbok The gemsbok (oryx gazella) is a large antelope from the genus oryx antelopes, which is native to southern Africa. The common local name of the species, besides oryx, is gemsbok, from Afrikaans and derived from German, Gemsbok and in German- speaking countries also called Gämsbock. The name is derived from the German word Gämse (chamois) based on the facial markings. Another official German designation is South African Spiessbock. With a shoulder height of 1.20 meters, the gemsbok is the largest species of oryx antelope. Both sexes have a strong neck, long, sharp horns (up to 1.5 meters) and a tail reminiscent of a ponytail. They prefer grass as food, but will also eat non-toxic succulents, dig up roots and eat wild fruits. The females live in groups of up to 40 animals. In contrast, the males are solitary. They defend a territory and defend all females that are currently in their territory. Fights between rival males are generally ritualized gestures and almost never serious, since the antelopes could otherwise severely injure each other with the pointed horns. The gemsbok is a synonym for toughness and modesty and is therefore the heraldic animal of Namibia and can also be found in coats of arms of various other regions in southern Africa. The locals have hunted these antelopes from time immemorial. They processed their skin into leather and used the horns as spearheads.

82 Gadget cane with telescope Shaft: mahogany (wood), veneer Handle: horn, unscrewable Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with flat iron tip Around 1880, England Length: 90.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

There is a brass telescope in the upper part of the shaft, which can be extended to 35 cm length. In the 19th century ship captain and explorer were still dream professions and as a cane owner of an exquisite telescopic cane, you were already a little closer to you adventurer idol.

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83 Gadget cane with telescope Shaft: brass, stepped with trompe-l'oeil painting, imitating bamboo Round handle: wood, unscrewable with inset mother-of-pearl monogram Collar (transition from handle to shaft): copper, silver-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: F.-A. Jecker, Paris (France) First half 19th century, France Length: 89.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

If you unscrew the wooden handle and the lowest cane segment, an extendable telescope with an extendable silver lens barrel is revealed. Manufacturer: Jecker A PARIS. The original number label 5 of the original cane collector and famous painter from Basel, Niklaus Stoecklin. He had documented all his canes on watercolor paintings. The corresponding original watercolor for this cane is located in the display case on the topic of medicine in this exhibition together with the second cane of the watercolor, the gadget cane with travel first-aid kit.

F.-A. Jecker, Paris François-Antoine Jecker (1765 in Hirtzfelden near Colmar–1834) was a French instrument maker. As the son of a farmer and brother of the later needle manufacturer Laurenz Jecker, he received permission at the age of 19 to go to Besançon, where he studied for a year. In 1786 he sailed to London where he was introduced to Jesse Ramsden who became his teacher and friend. He was accepted by the Royal Society of London. In 1792 he returned to Paris and opened his own mechanical workshop for the manufacture of optical and astronomical instruments, where he worked together with his brothers Gervais and Protais until 1825. The quality of his work was soon noticed and in 1794 he received a national award for his achievements. In 1800, he and his 40 or so employees moved from Rue de Marmoursets 20 to Rue de Bondi 32. Jecker's microscopes have unique features that combine traditional styles with innovative features. While his Jecker microscopes are rather rare today, his technical instruments and telescopes often appear at auctions. His coin scales are quite common, which is due to the fact that he had produced over 80,000 of them. Jecker apparently managed his business alone until around 1805 one or more brothers joined together to form Jecker Frères . This name remained in use until 1837, when the business was apparently taken over by one or more sons and traded as Jecker Fils . The business seems to have been closed in the mid-1840s.

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hesitate to part with a cane if it meant incorporating a more original piece into his collection. For a dedicated collector, quality was more important than quantity. Three canes from his former collection can be seen in the exhibition: a unique cane containing a travel pharmacy with six little bottles of toothache, cholera, and spirit of ether drops, Goulard’s extract, tincture of arnica, and ammonia liquid, a cane with a spyglass and compass, and a herder’s cane with a flute. Also, on display are the artistic watercolor drawings meticulously crafted by Niklaus Stoecklin. Niklaus Stoecklin was a primary practitioner of New Objectivity and Magic Realism in addition to being a prominent poster designer. He grew up in Basel as the son of a merchant and learned the handcraft of artistic painting from his uncle, the painter Heinrich M üller. For decades, Stoecklin also devoted himself to poster design. His public works, including the mural over the wedding announcement boards at the Basel Münsterplatz (1920) and his work as a lamp artist for Basel Carnival, garnered him widespread recognition. Furthermore, he designed a few stamps for Swiss Post. He also created many stamps for Pro Juventute and Pro Patria with motifs of insects and fossils. Picture collections by Niklaus Stoecklin can be found in museums in Basel, Winterthur, Zurich, Chur, Solothurn and Fribourg. The MoMA Museum of Modern Art in New York has posters by the artist.

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84 Original watercolor by Niklaus Stoecklin Original watercolor of two gadget canes from the collection of Niklaus Stoecklin Artist: Niklaus Stoecklin, Riehen (Switzerland) 1974 Lender: private collection from the region

This original watercolor by Niklaus Stoecklin shows two gadget canes from his collection. Both canes, first-aid kit and telescope with compass, can be seen in this exhibition. The gadget cane with telescope is exhibited among the canes for visual aids.

Cane collector Niklaus Stoecklin (1896, Basel–1982, ibidem) Not only was Niklaus Stoecklin a great Swiss painter and graphic designer, but he was also a passionate cane collector. His collection comprised always only 99 items. He didn’t want more – since there were 99 hooks on the narrow board in the entryway to his house, where they were all hung in a row for everyone to see. It all started with a cane that Niklaus Stoecklin received as a gift. This one inspired him to collect fancy canes, and over the years, his collection grew to 99. He would not hesitate to part with a cane if it meant incorporating a more original piece into his collection. For a dedicated collector, quality was more important than quantity. Three canes from his former collection can be seen in the exhibition: a unique cane containing a travel pharmacy with six little bottles of toothache, cholera, and spirit of ether drops, Goulard’s extract, tincture of arnica, and ammonia liquid, a cane with a spyglass and compass, and a herder’s cane with a flute. Also, on display are the artistic watercolor drawings meticulously crafted by Niklaus Stoecklin. Niklaus Stoecklin was a primary practitioner of New Objectivity and Magic Realism in addition to being a prominent poster designer. He grew up in Basel as the son of a merchant and learned the handcraft of artistic painting from his uncle, the painter Heinrich M üller. For decades, Stoecklin also devoted himself to poster design. His public works, including the mural over the wedding announcement boards at the Basel Münsterplatz (1920) and his work as a lamp artist for Basel Carnival, garnered him widespread recognition. He also created many stamps for Pro Juventute and Pro Patria with motifs of insects and fossils. Picture collections by Niklaus Stoecklin can be found in museums in Basel, Winterthur, Zurich, Chur, Solothurn and Fribourg. The MoMA Museum of Modern Art in New York has posters by the artist.

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85 Gadget cane as birdwatcher Shaft: wood, black colored Handle Bakelite, cylindrical with conical tapering and embedded ivory medallion, removable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): silver Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and iron tip Around 1930 Length: 93.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

When you pull off the Bakelite handle, a three-layer telescope with and an angled mount is revealed in the shaft. This telescope can be extended to a length of 25.7 cm. Since the telescope is left mounted to the shaft, it serves as a tripod. Such a gadget cane was often used for bird watching. For this reason they are called birdwatchers in England.

86 Gadget cane with monocular Shaft: Malacca (wood), blond Handle: snake skin, dew-shaped with a four-layer telescope embedded therein Collar (transition from handle to shaft): gold-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): horn Around 1870 Length: 90.1 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The four-layer telescope can be pulled out of the lens barrel. It can be extended to a length of 27.7 cm. The cane serves as a tripod.

Monoculars and binoculars Monoculars and binoculars are portable telescopes. The binocular version is mainly available on the market, which allows objects to be observed with both eyes via separate beam paths. Binoculars are available with a simple lens design as theater binoculars (opera glasses, Galilean binoculars), or as prism binoculars (Kepler telescope), which are colloquially called field glasses. The one-eyed design is referred to as a monocular. The transition to telescopes would be the slightly longer spotting scopes, which are mainly used with tripods for weight and construction reasons. With an extendable lens barrel, the latter are also called extendable telescopes. Typical magnifications are 3x for opera glasses, 6 to 10x for binoculars and 15 to 50x for spotting scopes with zoom eyepieces.

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87 Gadget cane as carriage whip Shaft: Bakelite, black, conical, unscrewable Ball handle: Bakelite, black, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): Bakelite, black, six-edged Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, chased with iron tip, unscrewable Around 1926 Length: 91.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The Art Deco handle can be unscrewed just like the tip. The extension can be pulled out from the inside. A complete carriage driving whip with a total length of 173 cm is created together with the shaft. It is therefore suitable for large ponies or small horses. On Sundays the young ladies rode in carriages through the city parks of Paris and London and met their friends there.

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88 Gadget cane with wolf fork Shaft: blackthorn, heavy Handle: pear wood, mounted in the shape of a pear Ferrule (lower end of the cane) iron, forged, 25 cm long with wide fork Around 1850 Length: 96 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The so-called wolf forks (Fourche à loup) were used by shepherds to defend themselves against wolves but mostly against feral dogs. It is reported that German postmen also liked to protect themselves with wolf forks.

Blackthorn The scattered porous, slightly shiny wood of the blackthorn is distinguished by great hardness. It has reddish sapwood and a brown-red core. It is used for carving, making whip handles and walking canes. Blackthorn was collected in Central Europe already during the Stone Age. This is evidenced by plant remains in spherical amphora ceramics or impressions of the seeds on Neolithic clay vessels. In the Middle Ages, ink was extracted from the bark. This thorn ink was used in the medieval scriptoria, but then fell into oblivion. Red color extracted from the blackthorn bark was used to improve the shelf life of cheese. Blackthorn leaves served as a tobacco substitute. The thorns of the blackthorn were used by sausage manufacturers as skewers. The seeds of the blackthorn contain the prussic acid glycoside amygdalin. The thorny wood was also said to have a strong protective effect against witches. That is why blackthorn was often planted around pastures and farms. The thorn pattern was very decorative. It was therefore imitated even in ivory or coral. Blackthorn is also the most popular native wood for the production of carriage whips due to its high hardness and elasticity. The general rule is that one whip shaft can be harvested for every ten meters in a blackthorn hedge. Blackthorn hedges are the ideal shelter for many bird species due to its aggressive thorns.

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89 Ladies’ gadget cane with riding crop Shaft: bamboo, sanded Ball handle: copper plate, removable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): copper plate Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Around 1930 Length: 88 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The copper handle can be pulled out of the cane and reveals a finely woven riding crop with a thread-like end.

Riding crop A riding crop, also called horsewhip, is between 50 and 130 cm long and is used for riding aids in equestrian sports. The whip can be used in different places on the horse’s body, depending on the length of the whip, the desired effect and riding style. The normal position for the riding crop in dressage is the horse’s flank, as close as possible to the point where the rider’s lower leg presses against the horse’s body. For horses in basic training, the shoulder is often an effective place of action. To improve the flexion of the croup (rear part of the horse) long dressage straps can also be used on the croup of the horse. The length of the whip depends on the intended use. For show jumping, either short show canes with a wide leather swatter at the end are used, or the regular short lunge whips from about 50 cm upwards. Crops from 110 to 130 cm are used in dressage.

90 Gadget cane with masonry cord Shaft: fir wood, green painted Handle: wood Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass and square iron tip Around 1910 Lender: private collection from the region

The shaft is made of green painted fir wood with sawn and carefully carved wooden parts. The elements of the cane are rotatable in a brass bushing. If the cane is placed in the ground and the wooden handle is held in place, the line can be unrolled and stretched to its full length. This aid guarantees that your vegetable patch always looks well cared for.

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91 Gadget cane as gardening picker Shaft: wood Handle: wood with inscription Ceuilleuse Dubois/A.D Brevets/Francais & Etrangers ; Trigger with engraving Fleur Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass nickel-plated Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass, nickel-plated and iron scissors (gardening picker) Manufacturer: Adrien Dubois de Laval, Paris (France) Around 1890, France Length: 118.6 cm Lender: private collection from the region

A sliding ring that opens and closes the scissors at the other end is included in the handle. This gadget cane can be used as garden shears for picking flowers and fruits up to a distance of three meters in the garden.

Manufacturer: Adrien Dubois de Laval Inventeur fabricant 7, Boulevard de Strabourg, Paris Breveté S.G.D.G. 1880–1923

Adrien Dubois Adrien Dubois was born in Laval on 18 April 1831. He has the same first name as his father and grandfather. He started practicing the same profession as his father, cutler, early on. In 1860, he married Marie Portais in Laval and both moved to the Rue du Pont Vieux. Adrien loved handicraft and knife making. But he also began to make other objects, starting with pipes. But he was unable to arouse the desired population’s interest in Laval, so he decided to go up to Paris to try his luck there. He opened a shop at 7 Boulevard de Strasbourg in the 10th arrondissement. His wife Marie died in 1887. The following year Adrien married Augustine Valentine Braun. The couple had a daughter together. Adrien Dubois registered several of his inventions in the 1880s and 1890s. He received several patents for his inventions.

Breveté S.G.D.G. Breveté S.G.D.G. is the designation for a patent as it was valid in France until 1968. The term stands for Breveté Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement and means translated: Patent without government guarantee. Many countries maintained a system of registration after a simple formal examination for many years. They were considered free from any liability. For example, in France, the law of 1844 provides that patents are issued without prior examination, at the risk and peril of the applicants and without any guarantee of function, innovation or merit for the invention, including the precision or accuracy of the description .

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92 Gadget cane as rose shears Shaft: wood with iron core, painted as an imitation of an exquisite rosewood cane Handle: nickel, lenticular Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron shears Manufacturer: Harris, Leicester (England) Around 1890, England Length: 92 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The ferrule also serves as the iron shears with a clamping device for the plant stem. The nickel handle contains the inscription of the manufacturer, Harris in Leicester. The shears are very easy to use and very practical. The roses can be cut without hurting yourself on the thorns. The flower with stem is clamped in the scissors until the scissors are released.

93 Gadget cane with flower shears Shaft: bamboo Handle: bone, lengthwise oval Collar (transition from handle to shaft): nickel, small Ferrule (lower end of the cane): nickel with iron tip Manufacturer: Adrien Dubois de Laval, Paris (France) Around 1925, France Lender: private collection from the region

Flower shears with a long neck are stored within the cane. The Dubois inscription is on the shears blade. The tip of the shears was protected by a small metal cap so that you won’t get injured. The Dubois flower shears were a world hit, practical to use and therefore very popular. They are available in different lengths as shears with an extended shaft, so that you can cut roses from the thicket of thorns without hurting yourself. On the side of the shears is a small metal clip that holds the rose stem in place to prevent it from falling to the ground. The model with the hidden shears in the walking cane was of course very exclusive. Old advertisements stated that you could cut water lilies from the pond edge without falling into the water.

94 Gadget cane with basket Shaft: bamboo, dark brown and braided basket attached to it decorated with black and red wooden beads including ball bells. Round arch handle: chamois horn (part of the antlers), horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, long with square tip Around 1850 Length: 113.7 cm Lender: private collection from the region

With this cane and the 40 cm long basket, travelling merchants could offer flowers and vegetables on the streets of the city. The attached bells allowed the merchant to draw attention to herself when turning the cane.

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95 Gadget cane for planting corn Shaft: iron Hook handle: iron covered with leather Around 1930 Lender: private collection from the region

This cane is equipped with a complicated sowing mechanism. In neutral position the planting tip is closed. The corn kernel container is in the middle of the cane. It is equipped with a small slider that determines the individual corn grain quantity. The beak-like tip of the cane is pressed into the ground and then, by tilting the cane, the beak opens and the pre- determined amount of corn kernels are inserted into the ground at a depth of ten centimeters. As soon as the cane is standing upright, the closing mechanism is active again. This planting method is not very efficient but certainly back-friendly.

96 Gadget cane for sowing Shaft: oak wood with zinc plate container and brass plaque Handle: oak wood Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Manufacturer: W. Kappeier, Koblenz (Switzerland) 1911, Switzerland Length: 80.2 cm Lender: private collection from the region

Sowing cane for planting beans or corn seeds. The manufacturer according to embossed brass plaque was: W. KAPPELER, KOBLENZ (SCHWEIZ) CH PAT. D.R.P. DIPLOM, AUSSTELLUNG [EXHIBITION] AARAU 1911, BERN 1914.

97 Gadget cane for plant collectors Shaft: brass tube, shape and color imitating Malacca cane with oval brass cord eyelet Handle: horn Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, long, unscrewable Around 1880 Length: 89.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

It is a simple gadget cane with horn handle. The bottom of the tip can be unscrewed to hold garden tools. A brown canvas bag was included with this cane. The bag holds two wooden boards for pressing plants and five iron garden tools. These five parts can all be screwed onto the cane. It consists of a spade, a hoe, a pickaxe, a rake, and a small saw. In the 19th century, it was extremely popular to discover nature in faraway countries. Everyone wanted to discover new plants, describe them and bring them home. These were often named after their discoverer. In this way you obtained a certain immortality. This rare gadget cane brought the great dream a little closer.

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98 Gadget cane for sowing Shaft: brass tube Handle: horn, lenticular Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass, short Bottom (lower end of the cane): tip forged, made of oak wood Around 1919 Length: 90.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The whole length of the shaft has a container within it which can be filled with wheat seeds. After you have stuck the tip of the cane into the ground, you can push it together with spring pressure in the upper segment of the cane. This opens a small hole about 5 cm from the tip and one or two wheat grains are released into the ground. The idea is smart but not very efficient. You have to do 50 pricks for one square meter and after four square meters the cane has to be refilled with wheat seeds. But each grain is planted with love without having to bend over.

99 Gadget cane for truffle search Shaft: blackthorn (wood) Round handle: wood Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron Tip: iron, shovel-like, forged, heavy, 9 cm long Around 1900 Lender: private collection from the region

Very simple walking cane made of blackthorn with heavy, shovel-like, forged tip. Who doesn’t dream of his dog sniffing out a truffle mushroom on a walk? The shovel is especially lightly rounded to avoid damaging the truffles when digging. Since truffle digging is not allowed everywhere, this gadget cane was used. A regular walking cane was not a problem after all.

100 Gadget cane for weeding Shaft: medlar wood Round hook handle: medlar wood, in one piece with shaft Ferrule with point (lower end of the cane) iron, forged as small straight shovel, 6 x 6 cm Around 1900 Length: 92 cm Lender: private collection from the region

This gadget cane ideally combines walking in the garden and weeding at the same time. There is no need to bend down or carry heavy gardening equipment. Would certainly still be an ideal gift for garden lovers today.

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101 Gadget cane with herbicide Shaft: brass tube, industrially manufactured Handle: brass, flat, chased Length: 81 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The tip of the herbicide cane could be pressed into the ground. The spring, which is covered by the bushing, controls the flow of the herbicide liquid. It flows through the shaft and is poured in through the handle. There were several versions of gadget canes for the garden sector. The cane was intended to be a very good vehicle for these tools. They were supposed to help carry out the work more effortlessly, usually without having to bend down. If the tool is long or placed at the tip of the cane, it will benefit from the length of the cane.

102 Gadget cane as plant sprayer Shaft: brass tube with removable tip Handle: brass, lenticular with sieve-like small holes Tip (lower end of the cane): brass, removable and iron tip Around 1900 Length: 86 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The two brass tubes of the middle stick part can be pumped like a water pump. In this way the rose insecticide (at that time often a copper solution) can be applied and sprayed over the plants with firm pressure through the fine holes of the handle. Since the insecticides reservoir is small, it could be used sparingly even then. The removable tip can also be used as a dibber. This cane is functional.

103 Gadget cane with sickle Shaft: ash (wood), in the lower part much thicker as a handle and with bamboo decoration, carved Handle: iron, forged Collar (transition from handle to shaft): iron, forged with sickle blade, 18.5 cm long Manufacturer: Holtzapffel & Co., Haymarket, London (England) Patent 1884, England Lender: private collection from the region

The blade is protected with a heavy leather sheath. Inscription on the blade Holtzapffel. Very massive sickle (knife shape) or machete cane which is very well suited for removing wild shoots from fruit trees or roses. The blurred inscription shows that the cane has been used a lot. Holzapffel in London was famous for his garden tools.

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104 Gadget cane with clamping saw Shaft: bamboo Round hook handle: horn, unscrewable Collar (transition from handle to shaft): brass Ferrule (lower end of the cane): 9 cm long, unscrewable with pointed square iron tip Around 1870 Length: 90.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

After unscrewing the handle and the tip, the tensioning wood, tensioning cord and saw blade become visible. The former cane shaft is then used again as the central strut. The individual parts can be used to assemble a classic rectangular frame saw with tension belt. Large sawing jobs may be tricky, however, since the material is very thin.

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105 Gadget cane with coping saw Shaft: medlar wood Round hook handle: medlar wood Ferrule (lower end of the cane): brass with iron tip Manufacturer: Holtzapffel & Co., Haymarket, London (England) Around 1930, England Length: 96 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The fine saw blade lies in a slit of the cane’s shaft. The saw blade is then turned 180 degrees and can next be hooked to the tip of the round hook with high tension. Inscribed with Holtzapffel London , a well-known garden merchant at Piccadilly. This saw cane would be really useful. It is light and has a practical size. In the present model, however, the cutting edge of the saw blade is in direction of the joint. When sawing, the saw would then lose its tension and no longer function. A construction error that was not recognized or an illogical restoration? The question remains open.

Holtzapffel & Co., London The Holtzapffel dynasty of tool and lathe makers was founded in Long Acre, London by a Strasbourg-born turner, Jean-Jacques Holtzapffel, in 1794. The firm specialized in lathes for ornamental turning but also made a name for its high-quality edge and boring tools. Moving to London from Alsace in 1792, Jean-Jacques worked initially in the workshop of the scientific-instrument maker Jesse Ramsden, anglicizing his name to John Jacob Holtzapffel. In 1794 he set up a tool-making partnership in Long Acre with Francis Rousset, trading under the name of John Holtzapffel. From 1804 he was in partnership with the Mannheim-born Johann Georg Deyerlein until the latter's death in 1826, trading under the name Holtzapffel & Deyerlein. Holtzapffel sold his first lathe in June 1795, for £25-4s-10d, an enormous price at the time. All of Holtzapffel's lathes were numbered and by the time he died in 1835, about 1,600 had been sold. The business was located at 64 Charing Cross, London from 1819 until 1901 when the site was required "for building purposes". The firm then moved to 13 and 14 New Bond Street, and was in premises in the Haymarket from 1907 to 1930. John's son, Charles Holtzapffel (1806–1847) joined the firm in 1827, at around which time the firm became known as Holtzapffel & Co. Charles continued to run the business after his father's death. He set about writing a treatise entitled Turning and Mechanical Manipulation, eventually running to some 2,750 pages, and which came to be regarded as the bible of ornamental turning. The first volume was published in 1843, but the final two volumes were completed and published after his death by his son, John Jacob Holtzapffel (1836–1897). There is some evidence to suggest that Francis Ronalds assisted Charles in the early stages of preparing the treatise. Typeset sections survive of an unfinished "Turner's Manual" that Ronalds wrote in 1837 and there is marked similarity in the two prefaces and elsewhere. Ronalds and Charles also collaborated on developing lathe accessories. When Charles Holtzapffel died in 1847 his wife Amelia ran the business until 1853. John Jacob II, the son of Charles and Amelia, was head of the firm from 1867 until 1896. A nephew of John Jacob II, George William Budd (1857–1924) became head

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of the firm in 1896. His son John George Holtzapffel Budd (1888–1968) later ran the business. By the early twentieth century, ornamental turning was going out of fashion, and the firm sold its last lathe in 1928.

106 Gadget cane as hand saw Shaft: bamboo Handle: horn, carved in the shape of a dog’s head Around 1900 Lender: private collection from the region

After pressing the locking button, the short hand saw can be pulled out. The saw is attached to the handle in the shape of a dog’s head. The horn structure was inserted in such a way that it looks like the coat of a dog.

107 2013 Gadget cane with hand saw Shaft: fir wood, carved as imitation of an expensive holly Round handle: fir wood, carved with foldable saw Ferrule (lower end of the cane): iron, long Manufacturer: Stocker, Paris Around 1910, France Length: 96.5 cm Lender: private collection from the region

The folded iron saw blade can be fixed in the sawing position with a steel spring. Inscription on the saw blade: Stocker Paris This garden gadget cane is really very useful and practical. You can use it to thin out bushes in the garden or even cut prickly roses. The excellent sharpening of the saw blade underlines this.

108 Machete cane Shaft: wood with iron blade Handle: wood and leather Around 1925 Length: 93 cm Lender: private collection from the region

This is a heavy gadget cane with a long wooden and leather handle. This handle could be pulled over the iron blade. This heavy garden machete was very useful in practice such as for cutting off lateral wild shoots on trees. Overhead use is also possible without any problems as well. The blade on this item shows very little structure. This indicates that this machete was in active use. The machete is known in Europe mainly through adventure novels and films, thus it is usually considered to be a bush knife and weapon there. However, it is mainly used as a tool in many places, especially for harvesting sugar cane, for example.

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