Featured Brass? cane or hand mirror handle? w/ cherubs glass? stones - need help for a friend please.

A friend found this at the bottom of a box of books he bought at an auction.

He showed it to me wondering what it was, if it was gold & real stones.

I tried to gently dissuade him of the gold & real stones thought but was not very successful.

I told him I would post it here to get some additional opinions.

It is 2 3/4" long, 1 1/4" across the top portion & the opening at the bottom is 1/2" across.

It is missing two stones. If you look very closely it looks like it could have had some enameling at one time.

I could see no markings anywhere.



Thanks for any & all advice or opinions!!

 

@bercrystal, Peggy, HA! Guess I got bumped off doing my editing!!! That is one cool item!!! To me, it could be a Ladies cane, or possible walking stick or even Swagger stick maybe, But if I actually found writing on it, of which I've been wrong before, then possibly some part of a presentation piece......I "THINK", in the dark areas of the SECOND IMAGE DOWN, on the BACK, there is lettering that looks like it's Old English.....for me- increasing the contrast and the colors helps the letters pop out a bit....doesn't always work though......am posting both colored and lightened image to hope you see what I'm referring to.....I think there may be a date showing in the Green part, but try as I would, I could only get a visible letter here and there other than the word MAY.... hoping maybe you've got a good strong loupe!!!?? Happy hunting!!!

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I'll look again in the morning but I think that is just the textured areas. I thought at first it was grungy but the black didn't come off when I tried scraping it gently with my fingernail.

Thanks for looking & the enhanced photos!!

 

need a shot from above and below....


that looks like scrip of a sort....

never seen the like of it but a cane handle comes to mind !

 

It has a strong Austro Hungarian feel to me!
The dimensions make me think a 19th cenrury lady's riding whip, a cord going through the hole to secure it to her wrist.
It could be pinchbeck and glass stones or gilt and garnets and turquoises

 

https://www.gouldantiques.com/en-GB/novelty-perfumes/austro-hungary-scent-c1870/prod_11418

 

can we see the base ? is it too big for a desk seal ?

 

sorry, my photo certainly is too big !

 

not at all.......

 

I think that is just part of the design. BWDIK

I'll try to get the extra photos posted this afternoon.

 

I guess a seal would be possible as I am assuming they were pretty much interchangeable with the different handles.

 

that's not been my experience .....

 

I guess I should have said, "some could be used with different handles".

 

I've seen fancy parasol handles like this

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=par...kEHR1tC2QQ0pQJegQIDRAB&biw=1327&bih=827&dpr=1

 

Thanks Bev!!