A massive example weighing just over 800 grams. With scabbard.

93 cm
127 grams
Rattan, lacquer, pigments, copper, gold
Sri Lanka, Matale district
Description
An antique Sinhalese walking cane, made of a light and relatively flexible rattan. It is lacquered in a style known as "Mātale work" or Niyapoṭen vēda (නියපොටෙන් වේද) or "finger-nail work". This distinctive type of lacquer is applied entirely without the use of brushes.
For an in-depth article on this type of work, see my article: Sinhalese lacquer work.
The top is capped with a detachable gilt-copper cap with floral engravings.
Decoration
The decoration at the very top consists of stylized petals, called palā peti. Then collor plain lines; ādāra-koṇḍu, and dots; bin̆duva. Then follows a band of circles and squares called dẹla, or "net".
Then follows various plain sections with black or red background, decorated with bands of ādāra-koṇḍu and bin̆duva, and one more instance of dẹla on a black background.
One decorative element appears twice and eludes classification at this point: It consists of a series of wavy lines in yellow and red on a black background. The effect somewhat resembles marbling in books.
Condition
Some damage to the lacquer here and there, but generally in fairly good shape.











A very fine specimen, complete with ruby-set scabbard.
With designs of four dragons in scrollwork around a "wish-granting-jewel"
Constructed out of dense hardwood and with fine mother-of-pearl inlays in the Vietnamese fashion.