Original U.S. Indian Wars Era Toledo-Made Sword Cane Stick with Engraved “Gold” Handle & Bamboo Shaft - Presented to Colonel J. J. Lawrence in 1887, 125th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a very interesting sword stick with absolutely tremendous construction, with a possibly bronze or gold handle engraved to a Colonel of the U.S. Civil War, being presented in 1887. It measures 34½” overall when sheathed, with a 27¾” inch Toledo-marked blade. We cannot say for certain what the material of the handle is, making for a good research project.
Legality: NOT AVAILABLE FOR EXPORT OR TO RESIDENTS OF CA, AR, NY, NJ AND OTHER STATES. These are considered concealed weapons and many states have laws relating to these dating back to the 19th century.
The top of the gold handle is engraved:
Col. J.J.
Lawrence
From
Chas. D. Wettach
1887
We believe that Col. J. J. Lawrence is Colonel John Jacob Lawrence, who served as a Major with the 125th Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War, later being made Colonel of the 46th Pennsylvania Militia Infantry.
We were able to find that Colonel J.J. Lawrence lived in Pennsylvania and was a railroad officer with great experience, working as superintendent of the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad, and later General superintendent of the Allegheny Valley Railroad in 1869. He remained active at railway and coal miner conferences into the 1880s, finally passing away in 1893, 6 years after he would have been gifted this sword cane. More information on Lawrence can be found here.
We couldn’t find much information about Charles D. Wettach, but there is certainly more research to be done on this piece!
The gold handle is a small bit loose on the cane, but is still mostly secure. The bamboo shaft is in great order, and the metal piece on the bottom is well-retained. The blade is etched TOLEDO for manufacture in Toledo, Spain. Toledo swords, for centuries, when the fight depended not only on the personal ability of the fighter, but also the perfection of his weapon. Toledo swords' exceptional steel were forged into the most feared arms in the world. Their extraordinary hardness made each of these Toledo swords an invincible force in the hands of an expert swordsman. All European armies knew the superior quality of Toledo and many great warriors relied only on sabers of Toledan provenance.
This is a fantastic sword cane with a great history, ready for further research and display!
The swordstick was a popular fashion accessory for the wealthy during the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, it was becoming less socially acceptable to openly carry a sword, but there were still upper-class men routinely trained in swordsmanship who wished to go armed for self-defense. Swords concealed in ladies' walking sticks and parasols were also not unknown, as it was even less socially acceptable for a lady to carry a sword, or publicly admit that she knew how to use one.
Soon after their introduction, other "gadget canes" became popular. Instead of a blade, these would hold the tools of one's trade, compasses, and even flasks for keeping alcohol. There were special swordsticks that had guns installed in the hilt. But the use was unlikely.
- This product is not available for international shipping.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
- Please consult local laws regarding legality of sword canes and/or concealed weapons before ordering.
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