MASTERPIECES: Eddi Van Auken's Collection of Antique Canes & Walking Sticks
About the Book
MASTERPIECES – The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antique Walking Sticks and Canes
Italy 2025.
MASTERPIECES Celebrates the World-Class Walking Stick and Cane Collection of the late Eddi Van Auken
After years of dedication, passion, and collaboration, the highly anticipated book, MASTERPIECES, has been officially released. This unique volume celebrates one of the world’s most extraordinary walking stick and cane collections, a project ignited by the vision and artistry of the late antique historian, collector, and author, Eddi Van Auken.
This book is the culmination of years of work and research, dedicated to showcasing the unparalleled breadth and quality of canes Eddi Van Auken meticulously acquired, researched, and catalogued. MASTERPIECES is the essence of passion, vision, and collaboration, bringing to life the incredible "Vertical Art" that will continue to inspire collectors and enthusiasts for generations to come
MASTERPIECES is a tribute to Eddi's legacy and dedication, showcasing canes and walking sticks that are truly unparalleled in their historical significance and breathtaking beauty.
The 492-page large-format book (29 x 32 cm), printed in Italy by a historic printing press.
Concept and vision: Eddi Van Auken
Curated by: Eddi Van Auken, Piero Luigi Carboni &
Pierangelo Marengo
Texts by: Eddi Van Auken & Roberta Maneker
Art direction: Piero Luigi Carboni & Pierangelo Marengo
Editing: Laura Harger
Jewelry expertise: Simon Teakle
Photography: Umberto Barone
Published by: Silvia Editrice
Press
Martin CID Magazine
Bonhams Presents the Masterpieces of the Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection
Lisbeth Thalberg
November 28, 2025
A walking stick is rarely just a walking stick. In the hands of the late San Francisco collector Eddi Van Auken, it was a canvas, a sculpture, and a defiant statement of style. Bonhams New York will present The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: Masterpieces, a landmark auction offering 97 rare lots that represent the pinnacle of a thirty-year curatorial journey.
The sale serves as a poignant tribute to Van Auken (1946–2024), whose entry into the world of antique canes began with a twist of fate. Following a tailbone injury, she found herself unimpressed by the utilitarian, clinical options available at local pharmacies. Refusing to sacrifice aesthetics for necessity, she sought a walking aid that offered dignity. That initial search ignited a lifelong passion for what she termed “vertical art,” leading to one of the most significant private collections in the United States.
This auction is inextricably linked to Van Auken’s final scholarly contribution, Masterpieces: The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antique Walking Sticks and Canes. Completed shortly before her passing, the book documents the very items now heading to the block. For collectors, this provenance offers a unique opportunity: the chance to own a piece that is not only historically significant but has been immortalized in the canon of collecting literature. The 97 lots on offer span centuries and continents, showcasing virtuoso craftsmanship in gold, silver, enamel, and semi-precious stones.
Highlights of the Sale
Among the “vertical art” expected to draw spirited bidding are three standout examples that illustrate the breadth of the collection:
The Secessionist Jewel: A star of the catalogue is the Austro-Hungarian Secessionist Cane (circa 1907), designed by the iconic Josef Hoffmann. A testament to the Wiener Werkstätte movement, which sought to unify pure art with functional design, this piece features a rock crystal handle accented with diamonds and lapis lazuli. It is a masterpiece of geometric elegance. (Estimate: $5,000 – $8,000)
The Serpent in Silver: From the celebrated House of Bolin—jewelers to the Russian Imperial Court—comes a Swedish Diamond Inset Silver Niello Snake Cane (circa 1919). The handle features a snake winding through the design, a motif historically associated with wisdom and eternal renewal, rendered here with exquisite niello work and diamond accents. (Estimate: $5,000 – $8,000)
The Art Deco Icon: Representing the glamour of the Jazz Age is a Tiffany & Co. Art Deco Cane (circa 1935). This piece moves away from ornate classicism toward sleek modernity, utilizing striking cobalt glass against cool sterling silver. It captures the architectural ambition of 1930s New York in the palm of a hand. (Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000)
A Legacy of Discernment
“This sale offers a rare opportunity to celebrate the culmination of Van Auken’s three-decade collecting journey,” a Bonhams representative noted. It is an unprecedented occasion to acquire works that define a lifetime of passion. From the whimsical to the architectural, the Eddi Van Auken collection proves that even the most functional objects can be elevated to high art. The auction takes place live at Bonhams New York on December 8.
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Il Giornale dell'Arte
November 12, 2025
by Margherita Panaciciu
Bonhams celebrates the vertical elegance of Eddi Van Auken
The second auction dedicated to the legendary collection of walking sticks will take place in New York, a tribute to the San Francisco collector who transformed the object of everyday use into an identity-defining sculpture.
On December 8th in New York, Bonhams will present The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: Masterpieces , the second installment dedicated to the extraordinary collection of walking sticks belonging to the refined Californian collector Eddi Van Auken (1946–2024). Ninety-seven examples , from different centuries and countries, will compose a fresco of materials and sensibilities: silver and gold, enamel and precious stones, but also ivory, ebony, and rock crystal. Each piece, the fruit of an era and a skilled hand, tells the story of a way of walking and of presenting oneself to the world.
The auction follows the success of The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: Vertical Art, held on October 1st, which saw over 97% of the lots sold and a total of nearly half a million dollars. This result confirms the growing interest in these objects of discreet yet magnetic charm, suspended between accessory and art. " More than simple objects of utility, these canes embody cultural symbolism, social history, and an enduring sense of individuality, reflecting Van Auken's discerning and unconventional eye ," commented Anna Hicks , Head of Private and Iconic Collections at Bonhams. " We at Bonhams are honored to manage another part of this exceptional collection. Following the fantastic results of our previous sale, we are confident that this one will again capture the interest of scholars and collectors around the world and exceed expectations ."
Austro-Hungarian Secessionist walking stick set with diamonds and lapis lazuli, 800 standard silver and silver-gilt overlay, rock crystal, circa 1907, estimated at $5,000–$8,000. Courtesy of Bonhams
A Swedish walking stick with a diamond-shaped inlay, 800 Standard Silver Niello Snake Cane, circa 1919, estimated at $5,000 to $8,000. Courtesy of Bonhams
The New York event coincides with the publication of Masterpieces: The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antique Walking Sticks and Canes , a definitive anthology edited by Van Auken himself (herself) shortly before his (her) passing. The volume, a follow-up to the already celebrated Vertical Art , represents the compendium of over thirty years of collecting passion and aesthetic research. The auction thus serves as a sort of visual epilogue to his journey: "a moving archive" that conveys, in every chiseled detail, the complexity of an era and the personality of its collector.
Among the most notable works is an Austro-Hungarian secessionist walking stick , made around 1907 by Josef Hoffmann , a key figure of the Wiener Werkstätte. With its rock crystal handle set with platinum bands and rose-cut diamonds, and a gilded silver collar with cabochon-cut lapis lazuli, this walking stick, estimated between $5,000 and $8,000 , is a manifesto of geometric purity and restrained luxury.
The Swedish walking stick by Maison Bolin , jeweler to the king, dated around 1919, exudes refined Nordic elegance : a sinuous niello snake coils around a checkerboard-decorated silver handle, embellished with mine-cut diamonds. This one, too, has an estimate of $5,000 to $8,000 , confirming the high regard held for turn-of-the-century Scandinavian goldsmiths.
The quintessential American signature is also on display: a Tiffany & Co. cane in pure Art Deco style , dating back to around 1935, with a cobalt blue glass insert that catches the light like an otherworldly gem. The sterling silver frame and finely crafted handle make it a symbol of the era's urban elegance, with an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. Through these "works," a true document of customs, the sale celebrates the very idea of the cane as an extension of the body and a sign of identity, a reflection of taste and gesture.
Bonhams is honored to present select highlights from The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection | Masterpieces, available for auction on December 8 in New York.
To describe Eddi Van Auken merely as a cane collector understates her singular vision. She was, rather, a connoisseur of vertical artistry, a curator of craftsmanship, character, and provenance. Over three decades, Van Auken assembled an extraordinary collection of antique canes, each chosen not simply for rarity or material (though gold, silver, and gemstones abound), but for personality and presence. Van Auken's San Francisco Bay Area home became a sanctuary for her collection, chronicled in her book Vertical Art: The Enduring Beauty of Antique Canes and Walking Sticks. A second, planned volume, entitled MASTERPIECES: The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antique Walking Sticks and Cane, was actively underway at the time of her passing in 2024.
Bonhams is honored to present select highlights from The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection | Masterpieces, available for auction on December 8 in New York. The second in a series of auctions, this sale represents an anthology where art meets utility, and ornament meets authority. Step into the world of Eddi Van Auken, where canes gleam with silver, whisper histories, and walk with unmistakable style.
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The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: MASTERPIECES
8 Dec 2025
New York – On December 8 in New York, Bonhams will present The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: Masterpieces, the second in a series of auctions offering the remarkable cane collection of the discerning San Francisco collector Eddi Van Auken (1946–2024). With 97 canes, the sale spans centuries, regions, and materials, showcasing pieces crafted with virtuoso skill in silver, gold, enamel, and gemstones, alongside a host of whimsical designs and sculptural innovations.
This forthcoming sale follows The Eddi Van Auken Cane Collection: Vertical sale, which took place on October 1 in New York and produced standout results, with over 97% of lots sold and totalling nearly half a million dollars.
"More than objects of utility, these canes embody cultural symbolism, social history, and an enduring sense of individuality – mirroring Van Auken's discerning and unconventional eye," commented Anna Hicks, Head of Private & Iconic Collections at Bonhams. "We at Bonhams are honoured to steward another instalment of this exceptional collection. Following the fantastic results of our previous sale, we're confident it will once again capture the interest of scholars and collectors worldwide and surpass expectations."
As featured in Masterpieces: The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antique Walking Sticks and Canes, Eddi Van Auken's highly anticipated and newly published anthology celebrating art, utility, and personality, the upcoming sale includes many of the canes highlighted in this final volume. A follow-up to her landmark book, Vertical Art, Masterpieces was written shortly before Van Auken's passing in 2024 and reflects the culmination of her three-decade-long collecting journey. Held in conjunction with the book's release, the upcoming sale auction offers a rare opportunity to explore the breadth and brilliance of Van Auken's legacy.
With estimates ranging from $800 to $8,000, standouts from the collection include:
• An Austro-Hungarian Secessionist Diamond and Lapis Lazuli Inset 800 Standard Silver and Silver-Gilt Overlay Rock Crystal Quartz Cane, circa 1907. Estimated at $5,000 – 8,000, this cane, designed by Josef Hoffmann, founding member of the Vienna Secession and co-founder of the Wiener Werkstätte, features a rock crystal handle encircled by platinum bands set with rose-cut diamonds, a silver and silver-gilt collar inset with lapis lazuli cabochons, and an ebony shaft with a metal ferrule.
• A Swedish Cane Diamond Inset 800 Standard Silver Niello Snake Cane, circa 1919. Estimated at $5,000 – 8,000, this cane features a crook handle with a silver niello checkerboard surface entwined by a silver snake set with mine-cut diamonds, crafted by the House of Bolin, official jeweller and silversmith to the King of Sweden.
• A Tiffany & Co. Art Deco Cobalt Blue Glass Inset Sterling Silver Cane, circa 1935. Estimated at $3,000 – 5,000, this cane features a cobalt blue glass star set in the terminal, a handle overlaid with a silver grid and faceted cobalt glass bands, all atop an ebony shaft with a metal ferrule.
Select canes from MASTERPIECES will be auctioned December 8, 2025 by Bohnams, New York