Cane

Unknown

late 19th century · wood, metal · Costume Institute

The shillelagh is a traditional walking stick of Ireland, associated with folklore and given as a symbol of coming of age to young men. Also modified and used as a protective weapon, the shillelagh was carried by men to use against rival factions that might meet during public events. The thorny vines of this example are attractively interwoven around the gnarled shaft with a polished root handle. While decorative, it is easy to see how such an instrument could be utilized to exact a painful wound.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 19th century

Medium

wood, metal

Culture

Irish

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. C. T. Dotter, 1925