Here we have a rare occupational trade system cane that transcends simple utility to become a bananas work of industrial folk art. You have formal canes made by urban artisans, then you have folk art canes where you’ve never seen the like. This overbuilt bad boy is completely characterized as the creative expression of an individual maker, using non-traditional materials to reflect their own off-the-wall personality and serious trade.
This is "bench-made" aesthetic to the extreme—a blend of creative design and industrial necessity. The hand-hammered texture on the brass bands and the hand-punched signature elevates a common factory scene into a unique personal artifact. In the early 20th century, a shop foreman’s cane was a physical symbol of their status and power within the mill or factory.
The maker repurposed industrial materials—likely brass and wrought iron from the shop floor—to create a "stationary roller" head that possibly functioned as a massive thumb-print or branding stamp for marking heavy goods. Sick! And he was proud of it. It’s hammer-signed in two different places.
This rare beast came out of a collection of rare canes in Wisconsin. It was likely created in the very early 1900s. Signed by its maker and built with the grit of a 1900s factory floor. The piece is signed J. Hork(illegible). The artist is still a mystery.
The unusual system cane measures 35 1/4" tall and the handle is 4" wide. There is perfect patina everywhere. 100 years of grit and progress. The walking stick is solid and built to last. Please see all pics as they are part of the description.
I ship FedEx to street addresses in the continental USA only (no PO boxes please). Free shipping on the unusual trade system cane.
This isn't just a walking stick. It's a piece of Wisconsin's industrial soul. You know what the likelihood of finding one anywhere around here? I wish I was that good. Unbelievable and historical walking cane.
