42. Art Nouveau Enamel and Gold Cane-Ca. 1890-Small knob entirely cloisonné enameled in the Art Nouveau Liberty Style and its twin grooved gold collar, slender malacca shaft and a metal ferrule. Beside a striking and miniature design and brilliant colors, this cane also enjoys the Estampille or burnt signature “LAURENT” on the top of the shaft, one of the leading cane makers from Paris. Pioneering and trendsetting in its day, this cane is now acknowledged and timeless art at its best. Unfortunately the knob suffered of some damage and is in need of good restoration.-This form of hand-crafted enamel is named after the French word cloisonné, meaning partitioned areas. In this process, small cells are created by soldering wire or thin strips of metal to a metal backing. Each cell is filled with a color of ground glass, and the piece is fired in a small kiln until the glass melts into the cell. The process is repeated until the fused enamel completely fills the cells. -H. 1 ½” x ¾”, O.L. 35 ¼”-$400-$600