I am attempting to learn more about a glass artifact recently
excavated in the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It appears to
be a portion of a glass cane or walking stick, apparently made at
full size (15mm diameter). This particular one is made of
twisted, amber-coloured glass. Such amber glass canes are said to
have been made at the Hamilton Glass Works (c.1865-98, 1906-12),
which was located only a few blocks from the find site. The
speciality of the Hamilton Glass Works was the manufacture of
ordinary container glass, including amber-coloured flasks.
 
According to what I have read, "whimseys" or "friggers",
including glass canes, were made in off-hours at glassworks in
England, Canada and the United States. Roger Dodsworth's "Glass
and Glassmaking" reports that in England "walking sticks were
supposed to have the power of attracting diseases, and so they
were hung on the walls in houses and each morning were wiped
clean." He further notes that glass walking sticks and other
friggers were carried by glassmaker's at parades  and other
special events as emblems of the glassmaker's craft.
Here in Canada, Gerald Stevens in "Early Canadian Glass"
interviewed a retired Hamilton glassmaker who recalled that in
labour day parades glassmakers would carry such whimseys as glass
canes, swords, hatchets and revolvers.
 
I would be interested in learning more about the following
points.
(1) Evidence, whether historical, archaeological or museological,
about the date range for the production of glass canes.
(2) References about the ceremonial use of glass canes in parades
and other processionals.
(3) References to the belief that glass canes could ward off
disease.
 
Ian Kenyon
Ontario Heritage Foundation
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