 History Of Umbrallas (8259)
A mechanical device to shade from the sun goes back over 4000 years. All civilized countries had them. The word umbrella comes from umbra which means, little shade. Para means shade and sol means sun. To shade from the sun. In the beginning the names meant the same, today I'd like to give a new set of definitions to this often misunderstood, step sister to the cane.
In 3000 BC the Egyptian women used them to protect themselves from the sun, this was for the privileged and they were carried by servants. It was the same for the Babylonians and the Greeks too. From the first century to the fifth it spread to ancient Rome, where it was later copied by men. It was the Italians that introduced them to Europe. By the 1600's they were holding sun shades in one hand and controlling the horse by the other. By 1610 someone figured out how to make parasols fold and the umbrella was born. It was leather fastened to the hip when on horseback and used up to 1643 for shade only.
In France Louis XIV used them during the 17th century. They were Chinese pagoda-shaped with fringed edges and carried by pages.
From the late 1600's to early 1700's it was popular to have small Negro boy servants carry them. In the 1700's as the parasol became smaller, French women began carrying their own. Folding umbrellas were saved for rain. The face mask, popular for shade and sun protection, stopped being used.
In our book, Umbrellas, parasols, and handles Kissing Cousins, I have divided them into categories for cataloging and organizing. These categories and dates make sense when you take into consideration what else was happening in the world to affect fads with regard to umbrellas and parasols. The first parasol was not manufactured in England until 1787. Around 1830 a small hinged shaft, for folding was made for carriage use. The first patient for a metal stay was by John Fox of England in 1851. As a general rule, the stays before 1850 were ivory, whale bone and baleen.
I made before 1850 stays with natural materials and after metal stays. Our definition of parasols is shade from the sun, and umbrellas from rain.There were little change in umbrellas until the demise of canes around 1930. After that time they shortened to about 2’ in length, which from this moment, shell be called after canes. After 1960 the length and size increased again, this time however, they came back utilitarian, and for all practical purposes, are no longer worth studying or collecting.
If you look at the cane catalogs under archive, you will see the handles being sold interchangeable for canes or umbrellas. You choose the quality of silk umbrella or quality of shaft and they would put it on at no charge. I have also never seen in any literature or writing that just because it rained you could leave your cane home. Rain didn’t change weather you were a lady or gentleman. They never went anywhere without them. My point is this, when it rained they took their umbrella and used it as a cane. It was the same length, the same handle, the same ferrule, it held them up, it was a cane.
It’s fairly common knowledge that umbrellas with the same handles as canes are not worth or valued as much. I believe if people understand and agree that they are canes that people will stop the ridiculous practice of putting cane shafts on umbrellas. I keep using the example of dogs with ears pointing up as a perfect example of this. Why would anyone carry a cane that didn’t fit the hand? If they are kept as original or put on original umbrellas, it would certainly make a lot of sense.
Here is the reason I believe the umbrella found disfavor among cane collectors. When you find a loose handle for sale, I believe it’s because the silk rotted, and they kept the beautiful handle and threw the useless, not pretty rest of it away. Who wants a beautiful handle, with a rag hanging from it? What I’m recommending is to replace the cloth and make it beautiful and original again. I recently purchased a cane and restored umbrella collection. A new covering cost about $100, and this collector, Mannie Banner, had them all restored at Uncle Sams Umbrellas in N.Y. many years ago. He was ahead of his time. I put the umbrellas on my table and I was surprised how fast they sold. They were all purchased by lady collectors. They bought them, not only because they were beautiful, but because they are now practical.
Dike says in Cane Curiosa that people thought it was classier to have their umbrellas inside their canes. It left me with the impression everybody though so. As I thought about it, I estimate there were 100’s of regular umbrellas to one cane with an umbrella inside. If you have ever taken one apart, they are difficult to take apart, and when you do you often have to find a place for the telescopic shaft. They also have to have very thin cloth, and it doesn’t hold up well with continual use. Most of the canes I see with umbrellas inside have cloth that’s damaged. I also estimate that there are 500 umbrellas with bad cloth to one with good original cloth. They are truly rare. It cost over a 100 to change a umbrella to a cane, why not spend 100 to keep it original.
If you want to only collect canes, draw the line at short umbrellas or after cane umbrellas, and short parasols. Some parasols were used as canes and some weren’t. If they are cane length they are parasols used as canes.
Category: 1850-1930 - Umbrellas used as canes
Sub Category: Other
Listed: 2006-08-22 23:13:02
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