A CONTINENTAL 800 STANDARD SILVER PILGRIMAGE CANE Likely Spanish, dated 1782 The handle with a cathedral, inscribed ULTREYA / ET SUSEIA / 1782 / SANTIAGO, the Malacca shaft inset with silver grommets, figures of birds, and numbers, to mark the accension to the cathedral, with a metal ferrule. height overall 36 1/2in (92.7cm); height of handle 3in (7.6cm); width 1 1/4in (3.2cm) Footnotes: This memento cane depicts the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, Spain. Completed in 1128, the cathedral has since stood as a shrine to St. James, whose remains lie in its crypt. One of only three cathedrals in the world built over the tomb of an apostle, it has been designated a World Heritage site, and has been a popular pilgrimage site for centuries. Descending pilgrims often offer the words 'Ultreya' and 'Suseia' (translated as 'let's go forward,' 'let's go higher') to ascending climbers, to offer support during the journey. The creator of this unsigned cane had an imaginative idea for the design of this cane; a popular Renaissance board game known as the 'Game of the Goose' into three dimensions. In this case the 'goose path' is an upward-spiraling, sequentially numbered trail of decorative peg holes and scattered illustrative silver plaques. The ascent begins at the ferrule with a fierce, demonic head hovering over a small cathedral. Along the circuitous path, the goose encounters plaques illustrating impediments and distractions that might be met. Literary references to the game date back to at least the late sixteenth century. The ringed terminal depicts a leafy floral wreath centered by a deeply carved scallop shell, an image related to Medieval representations of pilgrims and particularly associated with the apostle St. James. Provenance Il Segno del Tempo, Milan; Collection of Eddi Van Auken, California, purchased from the above September 2020. Literature Van Auken, Eddi. Masterpieces: The Eddi Van Auken Collection of Antiques Walking Sticks and Canes. Silvia Editrice, Milan, 2025, pages 92-93, number 53. (illustrated) Condition reports are not provided in catalog descriptions. The absence of a condition report does not guarantee that the lot is in good condition or free from damage and wear. We encourage you to request a condition report and/or additional photos prior to bidding on any lot. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing