Magnificent Walking Stick - Sword with Elephant-Head Handle, India, circa 1900.

Magnificent Walking Stick-Sword with Elephant-Head Handle, India, circa 1900. An exquisite and rare Indian walking stick concealing a sword blade, dating to around 1900, with a magnificent handle in the form of an elephant’s head. The handle and upper section are richly decorated in mixed metals of copper and silver, finely engraved and embossed with floral and foliate motifs, interspersed with raised medallions and intricate scrollwork. The elephant’s head is masterfully modeled, its trunk gracefully curved to form the handle, terminating in a finely chased silver finial. The shaft combines dark hardwood sections with carved bone panels, flanked by silver bands engraved with leafy borders. A concealed faceted blade slides smoothly from within, revealing a slender steel weapon once intended for self-defense. Retains its original woven wrist strap. This walking stick-sword represents the luxurious craftsmanship of late 19th- to early 20th-century India, where such pieces were prized by nobles and dignitaries as symbols of refinement and authority. A highly decorative and imposing Indo-Islamic walking stick-sword of exceptional artistry and presence. Condition: Excellent for its age; minor wear to metal surfaces and patina consistent with age. Length: approx. 93 cm.