As we reach the present day, the history of the walking stick leaves behind a long sequence of centuries and equally numerous episodes related to the evolution of societies and diverse events and customs.
Perhaps the most remarkable fact is the total shift in its significance over time. Indeed, the cane gradually lost its symbolism linked to political or religious power, evolving to represent other values from one era to another, always in perfect harmony with the times.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the concept of modernity permeated every sector of human activity in the Western world. Great evolutions in taste and mentality caused a clear detachment from all previous cultural, social, and artistic traditions.
The walking stick also played its part in this great period of renewal, definitively acquiring the role that is still immediately linked to its image today: the indispensable accessory of masculine elegance—a true status symbol of the era. A sign of prestige and refinement, the cane—in the most diverse formal variations depending on the taste and needs of its owner—was mandatory for "promenading" or during the social engagements that filled the days of the wealthy and middle classes of the time.
Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, not only did walking sticks of all types reach their peak numerical development, but they also adapted perfectly as objects to interpret the new aesthetic needs brought by Art Nouveau—the movement most commonly known in Italy by the English name Liberty.
The stylized female figure, the natural world, and the beloved, refined decorativeness of the artists of that era also reached the handles of walking sticks, which predominantly adopted curved lines in silver, ivory, or rock crystal.
