Unusual Teddy Roosevelt Folk art walkingstick

[mart]

https://www.kovels.com/forums/11-folk-art-ethnic/10571-research-yields-no-info-on-folk-art-walking-stick.html#13279

Has anyone seen seen a walking stick like this or with similar carving style ??  Read the first post at the link !!

[ghopper1924]

I don't know much about walking sticks, but I like this one!

Anyway, as far as T. Roosevelt goes, he was a great hunter AND a great conservationist, so the contradiction between his hunting and the fact that the animals on the stick are moving TOWARDS him is only apparent:

"After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service (USFS) and establishing 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments by enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act. During his presidency,Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230 million acres of public land."

[KC]

Take a look at these on this French site!

http://www.pierdam.fr/

The cane is carved for a family and translates:
Coat of arms stick Hubart Family (Liège fourteenth ) overlooking a roaring lion . A "Man Sirère " two-tailed " seeks to break free ...

Problem with so many canes is that they were either designed on a whim by the artist/carver or they were custom made for the customer! 

[Ipcress]

The hunter becomes the hunted - Roosevelt is caged and the animals are going to look, to mock him.

That would be my take on it.

Lovely item.

[ghopper1924]

Take a look at these on this French site!

http://www.pierdam.fr/

Wow, amazing!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm not entirely convinced that this is Teddy Roosevelt or any other identifiable person. I would be inclined to think that showing him caged and being preyed upon by the animals he hunted is interpreting with modern sensitivities about hunting animals, not looking at the object with the sensitivities (or lack of them) of a person who likely had daily exposure to the realities of where their food came from and hunting wasn't likely given a second thought. I would bet that its simply folk art, more whimsy than deeper meaning.

[ghopper1924]

I'm not entirely convinced that this is Teddy Roosevelt or any other identifiable person. I would be inclined to think that showing him caged and being preyed upon by the animals he hunted is interpreting with modern sensitivities about hunting animals, not looking at the object with the sensitivities (or lack of them) of a person who likely had daily exposure to the realities of where their food came from and hunting wasn't likely given a second thought. I would bet that its simply folk art, more whimsy than deeper meaning.

Agree, don't impose modern points of view onto artifacts from the past. On the other hand, I'll take it as a given that this is Roosevelt, and that the walking stick was cared either during his presidency or shortly thereafter. Everyone at that time knew he was a hunter as well as a pioneering conservationist. Why put him in a cage? I don't know, maybe for ease of grip when walking. Why put animals on the stick? Because he hunted them, loved them (remember the Teddy Bear), and was strongly associated with them.