Carved Boxwood Walking Stick With A Serpent Motif, Signed, Folk Art, 19th Century

A very fine, single-piece walking stick in boxwood, intricately carved with a rich vegetal design of ivy and wild strawberries in relief, intertwined with a serpent that coils around the shaft as it rises towards the pommel. The serpent's eyes are made of emerald-colored cut glass. The carving is remarkably precise and delicate, particularly the serpent's scales and the veins of the leaves. The zinc pommel, held in place by four metal prongs, is beautifully cast. At the tip, a steel point is surmounted by a stylized zinc ferrule. The signature "Parrod" is engraved within the decoration. This walking stick dates from the late 19th or very early 20th century, with a beautiful patina and in very good condition. Total length: 91.5 cm; pommel length: 6.5 cm; ferrule length (including point): 9 cm; width at the widest point of the shaft: 8.5 cm