antique  Murano glass walking stick/ cane

" Soldiers cane "

with inlaid glass lines

very good condition

tip some chips

length  93 cm /  handle 56cm

When men were selected to become soldiers during the turn of the 20th century, by way of evidence the families of the 'lotelingen' were given a glass cane.
During the military service of de loteling this was hung in a visible place, for example above a fireplace or in other visible place in the house.
This served as a notification for the visitors that in this house a man was fighting at the front or was drafted for his military service by a selection.
This indicated that you had to respectfully and tactfully talk about the loteling.

Upon return of the soldier the glass stick was ritually broken.
If the stick remained in one piece this meant that the soldier had died at the front.

However, because this stick was so unique, it was often not broken; only small pieces were broken off.

info : dirk.balduyck@telenet.be

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