Smiling Dog Folk Art Walking Stick

This rustic folk art cane is topped with the whimsical head of a smiling dog. The canine’s humorous visage is carved with intricate detail, lending it a unique personality all its own. A sturdy shaft and handle are continuously carved from the same piece of knotty, organic wood. A pointed iron finial caps the end of this walking stick majestically.

Boasting an intriguing provenance, this cane hails from the private collection of former American ambassador to the Seychelles, journalist and media executive Dick Carlson. An avid collector of canes since his bid for Mayor of San Diego, California in 1984, Carlson’s collection in his home, office and summer home in Maine is estimated to total some 3,000 canes. Carlson has an affection for canes for their often unique artistry, but also for their innate usefulness — “because they’ve been used by someone for something.”

35 1/4" length