Antique Chinese Bamboo Repoussé Silver Capped Walking Stick, 3’ Tall

The ornate collar on the head of this cane, which we believe is repoussé silver, features a Chinese scene with three figures outside a house. The wood is a dark stained strong bamboo. The base has a metal ferrule, possibly brass,  which reaches beyond the shaft to protect it from breaking. 
 
The things you learn! We initially thought the base might be missing a rubber stub to protect the floor, but we learned that ferrules (the metal rings that reach beyond the shaft at the end) were made to take the impact of strikes against the ground, protecting the wood shaft from breaking and they were designed to be easily replaceable. The 1” length of this piece suggests it was made in the 1890s or early 1900s, as earlier ones were longer to deal with unpaved roads and pathways.
 
We believe the Burr sisters purchased this piece in China in the 1920s or 1930s when visiting on world tours.
 
Canes like this were popular from the 1700s-early 1900s as fashion statements as well as for use in traversing rough terrain, serving as self defense, and should one need assistance in walking.
 
There is a crack just under the top of the cap where it was soldered onto the collar,but we believe, based on others found online, that may be how they came. The cap does have a strong patina, the imagery a little hard to see. It is also a bit loose, but not in danger of falling off. We did not test it for silver as we did not want to ruin the patina.
 
Note: Most similar pieces available online are asking at least $ 200, some as high as $ 450...
 
3’ tall, the cap 1” in diameter.
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.