 Catherine Dike's Former Cane Collection, Now Owned By Her Son (8986)
I spent a delightful morning looking at and talking about the most famous cane collection in the world. It’s the most famous because it belonged to Catherine Dike the author of 5 of the best books on canes ever written. Her first book published in French in 1982, “Les Cannes a systeme, un Monde Fabuleux et Meconnu”,” Cane Curiosa, from Gun to Gadget”, the English translation of the first book was published in 1983 , La Canne Objet d’Art with Guy Bezzaz 1988, "Walking Sticks", a booklet in Great Britton in 1990, Canes of the United States in 1994. If you are reading this, which means you understand English, and you don’t have both of her books, you are missing a huge amount of knowledge about canes. All now out of print, and having a value far higher than the published price. Catherines son, who has lived in America for 28 years, inherited half of her collection of several hundred canes, and he has every one of his share. She passed away six years ago in 2000, and he has been caring for the collection, now an American collection, since then. The following is an excerpt from the thank you note I sent him after our meeting. I think it best expresses how I felt after seeing and photographing the collection.
“I just wanted to thank you for your warm hospitality. I really enjoyed meeting you and meeting your canes, I felt like we were old friends, as I have seen so many of them in the book hundreds of times. Many people inherit from their families things they don't care about, and get rid of them. By your keeping what you received all these years, you have earned my respect as someone who cares about canes. That is not to say I am critical of your sister for doing the opposite, as I think they need to be in the hands of those who care about them and care for them. Those who purchase them care enough, by their economic vote of purchasing them, to care for them.
Many of the pictures I took turned out well, and I believe many who knew your mother would be pleased to see that you are willing to share them with a new generation of collectors. Your openness and generosity is appreciated and noted. Sincerely Gary Durow "
The only picture with this email is a picture of Mr. Dike with a cast iron case of his ivories. The over 100 year old case is a wonderful setting for these beautiful works of art. The rest of the pictures will be in antique cane world forum. You will notice I said his ivories, from this moment on; I will be referring to his collection, as he is the next generation to care for them. Yes, they have wonderful provenance, but now it’s his turn to care for them, as they didn’t come without a price. He cares for them by polishing the metal and the shafts twice a year, and he protects them, that’s why his first name is not here, for security. He is a busy and hardworking busine ssman, but it is now up to him to decide what he wants to do with the cane collecting community.
His first decision is to give the community a gift, the books belonging to the Dike’s. It is his belief that the prices of Cane Curiosa, and Canes of the United States are priced too high for new collectors. If new collectors are going to have the interest in Canes they need good information and education and he believes his mother would want them to have it at more reasonable prices. Instead of holding out for top dollar, the books will now be sold for considerably less than they are going for on the used market.
On a number of occasions Mr. Dike put himself in his mother’s place, and asks the question, what would she want to have happen? I understand and agree with the underlying premise; after all she did all the work. I now turn the question on you Mr. Dike, “What do you want? You are now in charge.
The pictures below show some of the beautiful displays he uses for his canes. These are shown in more detail in the book "Cane and Umbrella holders" under show and tell.
Category: Special
Sub Category: Other
Listed: 2007-02-12 23:16:05
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