Edwardian Hallmarked Sterling Silver Topped Walking Stick – Dual City Hallmarks: Birmingham 1900 Pommel (WHW) & London c.1913,

British, c.1900, Silver Topped Gentleman’s Walking Stick, Pommel Birmingham Hallmarked 1900 by WHW (William Harrison Walter), Initialled SE; Silver Collar London Hallmarked 1913 by Kendall & Sons

A handsome late Victorian / Edwardian gentleman’s walking stick fitted with a sterling silver pommel and decorative silver collar.

The silver top is richly engraved with scrolling foliate decoration surrounding a central monogram, likely the intertwined initials “SE” (or “ES”) within a horseshoe-shaped cartouche. The pommel is hallmarked Birmingham 1900, with the Lion Passant sterling mark and maker’s mark WHW, attributed to William Harrison Walter, a silversmith known for producing high-quality silver mounts for canes and umbrellas at the turn of the twentieth century.

The shaft is formed from a dark ebonised hardwood and fitted with a silver collar engraved “KENDAL”, together with the mark K & S Ld, associated with Kendall & Sons Ltd, a well-known British manufacturer and retailer of walking sticks and umbrellas. The collar carries London assay marks including the Lion Passant and date letter “s” for 1913, indicating a later silver mounting by the firm.

The stick therefore displays an interesting combination of two makers and two assay offices, with the silver pommel hallmarked Birmingham 1900 and the collar London 1913, illustrating the common cane-trade practice of assembling sticks using mounts supplied by specialist silversmiths and later retailers.

Approx. Measurements –
Overall length: 78 cm
Silver pommel diameter: 3 cm

History Note:
Walking sticks with hallmarked silver mounts were an essential accessory for gentlemen during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Firms such as Kendall & Sons specialised in the manufacture and retail of high-quality canes and umbrellas, often sourcing their silver fittings from specialist silversmiths like William Harrison Walter. These sticks were frequently personalised with engraved monograms, indicating ownership and sometimes given as presentation pieces.

Condition
Good overall antique condition. The silver mounts display age-related surface wear and minor marks consistent with use. The shaft remains solid. The ferrule shows heavy wear and corrosion from prolonged contact with the ground. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

Kendall & Sons Collar