Featured Need help identifying African Walking Stick

This item is PURPORTEDLY a walking stick created as a gift to a French Diplomat visiting Africa in the 50s. The validity of that is up to what one chooses to believe. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what region and possibly date it. It is made of beads and Palmwood

African walking stick by nutellakinesis posted Feb 22, 2024 at 4:56 PM

African Walking stick by nutellakinesis posted Feb 22, 2024 at 4:56 PM

African Walking stick by nutellakinesis posted Feb 22, 2024 at 4:56 PM

African Walking Stick by nutellakinesis posted Feb 22, 2024 at 4:56 PM

 

@2manybooks

 

Welcome, @nutellakinesis.

Your stick could very well be African, but there is not much to go on in the way of design elements. The beads (glass "seed" beads) are fairly uniform in size and shape, which could indicate a date of mid 20th century or later. Older seed beads tend to be more irregular. The beads are strung in a technique referred to as "brick stitch".

There are several regions in Africa known for their traditions of elaborate beadwork - Nigeria and Cameroon in west Africa, and areas in east and South Africa. Examples of the brick stitch occur in all of these regions, (though less common in Nigeria).

If the association with a French diplomat is correct, Cameroon might be the most likely origin.

 

Welcome to Antiquers, @nutellakinesis . I love your username!