Here we have a rare French spyglass system cane from the late 1800s. This little devil features a cool telescoping action, perfect for spying on the other folks at the theatre. Sure, they say they use the scope for viewing the show. Yeah right. All you got to do is turn the stick and adjust the scope, then you're watching an entirely different show. You'll pop your top hat off. Crazy stuff, and totally true.
The rare system cane is marked "Paris" on the eye lens, as well as the company name. Le Matte of Paris? I can't fully make it out. This little beauty came out of an estate of collectors who solely focused on rare system canes in Europe. The telescoping piece is brass and the shaft is ebonized wood.
The French gadget cane measures just over 36" tall. The scope measures just over 2 1/2", and 3 1/2" fully extended. The telescoping mechanism functions but is a bit loose. When extending the scope, it will sag unless you fully extend it and twist. I'm not sure what is the natural functionality as opposed issues. I do believe the telescoping should be tighter...I'm just not sure about the exact fix. There marked eye lens has a few dents as well. I think the original owner was caught spying on the wrong party, and they used the cane to defend themselves. Surprisingly, the actual lens is just dusty, with no cracks. There is also oxidization throughout the brass. The antique system cane is sold AS IS. Although a rare piece, the price reflects the condition.
I ship FedEx to street addresses in the continental USA only (no PO boxes). Free shipping on the cane.
What a cool little bullet with all the scars from the battle. High class and dark alleys all in the same piece.
