MINER’S GUILD CONCEALED SWORD WALKING STICK.

Nevada City California, for the Sergeant at Arms. Dating 1920’s-30’s. Extraordinary example with bronze hammer form head over the universal crossed hammer and pick of the miners guild. That symbol is heraldic and incorporated into numerous family arms as well as those of mining-related cities such as Topen Germany and Swietochlowice Poland. It appears in the bottom right of the quartered shield of the Arms of New Zealand. This example is further identified with NEVADA CITY / CAL, one side and SGT-AT-ARMS / A TUBBS the other in hand-stamped letters. The black lacquered shaft contains an 18 ½” concealed sword blade with a lethal spear point. The root of the blade is marked JMME & SOHN, well-known producers of Nazi uniform accessories. The form of the cane is that of a fokos, the mountaineer’s combination of walking stick and weapon,( more commonly with an axe head) used to defend against wolves. Nevada City was settled in 1849, among the first of Gold Rush towns, instrumental in its evolution with a foundry producing parts for mining equipment.