Images(11)

Carved Walking Stick

Date1875

Maker Alanson Porter Dean (b. 1812)

OriginAmerica, New York, Oswego

MediumMaple

DimensionsOverall: 32in. (81.3cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number2023.708.1

DescriptionElaborately carved walking stick with an eagle and hoof handle. The spiral-carved shaft contains numerous animals including dog, cat, salamander, lizard, flying fish, bird, squirrel, and leopard, as well as a Bible verse from Revelations 22:21. The shaft his tipped with a brass ferule.
Label TextAlanson Porter Dean was born in New Ashford, Massachusetts in 1812 to Isaac Dean and his wife, Rachel Staples Dean. Alanson and his twin brother, Horatio Nelson Dean, learned the tanning business from their father and both worked as tanners throughout their lives. Alanson also worked as a farmer and he is listed as such in several census records. In 1836, Alanson married Caroline M. Dean and in the 1860s the couple relocated to Chancellor, Virginia. By 1872, the Deans had moved back to New York, settling in Oswego.

Dean was an amateur carver and produce several examples of intricately carved walking sticks that survive. The canes always have "A.P. Dean" carved on them as a signature as well as the recipient's name. This cane has "C.M. Dean" only, no signature carving, suggesting it was made for his wife and he did not feel the need to sign such a gift. It is also one of the more simplistically carved examples and appears to be one of his earliest pieces.
Provenance1875, from the maker to his wife, Caroline M. Dean [1818-1902] (Owego, New York); 1902 by inheritence to her daughter, Lydia Dean Carlson [1860-1945] (Owego, New York); 1945 by inheritence to her son Clarence Carlson [1883-1951] (Owego, New York); 1951 by inheritence to his son, Eugene Smith Carlson [1925-2002] (Ohio), 2002 by inheritence to his son, Eugene Smith Carlson Jr. [1961-2022] (Chardon, Ohio); 2022 by inheritence to Private Collection; 2023 sold to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation