Handvat van zwart hoorn, balustervormig, gebogen c. 1900 - 1930

This is a walking stick handle made of black horn, probably sometime in the past by someone known as Gelria. The way it curves so smoothly, it's almost like a simple line drawing come to life. I love the materiality of it. The dark, polished surface that begs to be touched, and the way it reflects light – it’s so subtle, but it gives the whole thing a sense of depth. Notice the subtle baluster form, that slight swelling and tapering at the base. That’s where your hand would naturally grip. There's something so satisfying about the way that form follows function. It reminds me that art can be found in the everyday, in the things we use. Thinking about it this way, it's like the horn is having a conversation with, say, a Brancusi sculpture. I mean, who knew a walking stick handle could be so profound? It makes you think about art as something that's always evolving, always surprising us.