This one is a museum-worthy cane made with incredible woods and stone rich in story and beauty. The woods are two different ancient “Jindai” woods that share the same origins. The handle is Jindai Sugi Cedar and the shaft is Jindai elm wood. This wood is approximately 2600 years old, and was buried under a volcanic eruption from Mt. Chokaisan. A massive, and famous volcano in Japan, Chokaisan had a large eruption 2600 years ago that caused a collapse of its summit and what’s called the Kisakata debris avalanche. The rocks and soil that collapsed flowed north-northwestward and were deposited widely in the current Kisakata and Nikaho towns. The volume of debris is estimated to be 3 to 4 billion cubic meters of earth. It’s under all of this debris that some of the ancient forest has been preserved without decay from lack of oxygen, and some has been excavated.

The Japanese word “Jindai” means “The age of the Gods”, and speaks to the age of the material; its so old that its considered part of mythology! Its a privilege to offer such amazing and unique material in my work. Extremely little of this wood exists and of what does (almost) none of it has ever left Japan.

Finally, this cane has a lapidary end piece that is considerably older, millions of years! It is no longer wood, it has been petrified into stone. This particular example is extra special because it has curl figure! Petrified wood with figured grain is an astonishing find.

The divider has a different ancient wood, sinker cypress from Louisiana. Its growth was incredibly slow so I oriented the wood to show its tiny growth rings on the sides on the cane. This material was carbon dated to be 1200 years old at the time of death, likely a tree that was already hundreds of years old at death.

A piece of functional art and history. There are no other canes like it in the whole world!

For more information on Mt. Chokaisan and its volcanic activity, visit this Smithsonian Institute web page: https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=283220

The last image is of Mt. Chokaisan, second to last image is the recovery of sinker cypress.

D E T A I L S

Cane Length: 38" (can be shortened to fit, just leave a note with your order)

Cane Weight: 1 lb.

Handle Material: Jindai Sugi Cedar from Japan

Divider Material: Sinker Cypress from Louisiana

Shaft Material: Jindai Nire (Elm) from Japan

Includes Rubber Tip

Every Gillis Cane is a photographed original, you’ll always receive the exact cane in the images.