Code: GP057
Stunning 18th/19th Century Victorian Nailsea Glass Walking Stick/Cane
Offered for sale is a delightful Nailsea Glass Walking Stick/Cane, featuring a crook handle and a tapering barley twist design. The glass exhibits a green tint with a dark blue and white spiral ribbon threaded throughout the cane. This item is a rare discovery for decorative glass of its era and remains in good condition considering its age.
Nailsea Glass was renowned for their twisted glass walking sticks and canes. The glassworks, founded in 1788 by John Robert Lucas in Nailsea near Bristol, Somerset, on the Severn Estuary, ceased operations in 1873 due to the depletion of coal supplies. At its peak, it was at the heart of the English glass industry. These "end of shift" novelty items, crafted by both skilled and apprentice blowers from leftover batches, have earned Nailsea international acclaim and are highly sought after by collectors.
The precise date of this piece is indeterminate as the Nailsea factory was operational from 1788 until 1874. The earliest examples were made of pale green bottle glass, tapered at the ferrule end and occasionally twisted, as seen in this piece. Subsequent versions were fashioned from clear and coloured glass into cylindrical rods, with the ferrule end simply rounded off.
Most surviving pieces feature a central spiral ribbon of coloured enamel, creating a subtle ridge on the glass surface. * This stick, with its dual dark blue and white spiral ribbon encased in the glass has a slight ridge, and likely dates from the period of 1788 to 1845. *
Regarding the origin of the cane:
In the West Country, the "witch's stick," a glass rod with a crook-end made in Nailsea near Bristol, serves as the magician's "wand of power." These rods, sometimes twisted or hollow, were filled with coloured threads or tiny sweets known as "hundreds and thousands." Hung above the mantelpiece, they compelled any malevolent visitor to count the contents, thus neutralizing their harmful intentions. Known as "medicine-rods," they were believed to attract disease, but daily cleaning could turn them into a universal remedy.
Often positioned between a bed and a fireplace, these items were thought to absorb evil spirits responsible for illnesses, particularly ague (malaria). It was essential to wipe them clean each morning, as breaking a glass stick was considered an omen of bad luck. (Information sourced from the Glass Manufacturers Federation)
For a complete assessment of the item's condition, we encourage you to carefully examine all the provided photos. These pictures are integral to the description and condition report of the item, providing crucial visual details about its appearance and quality.
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