By Diana Lee
The museum of Church History and Art of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the extension of its newest exhibit, an extraordinary display of period and Latter-day historic canes, through November 11, 2001.
This exhibit has sparked much interest as President Gordon B. Hinckley was seen with a cane during last April''s General Conference.
A century ago, common wardrobe accessories for gentlemen in the United States and Europe included not only ties and top hats, but also a selection of walking sticks, or canes. Using a cane as a fashion statement was widely accepted.
'In earlier centuries you might use a cane to fend off an attack from a robber. However, besides its practical uses for defense or support, a cane also became a symbol of a person''s position in society,' said Gary Boatright, display organizer.
The exhibit centers around canes owned by or given as gifts to leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ. Also included are other canes made to celebrate people, places and events from Church history. It features useful canes along with some created as commemorative items or by folk woodcarvers.
A half dozen of the canes on display belonged to Brigham Young. Others were gifts to Lorenzo Snow, Heber J. Grant, Joseph F. Smith and N. Eldon Tanner. A cane owned by Martin Harris is on loan from the family and will be removed from the display from August 8th-28th to be at the annual Martin Harris Pageant at Clarkson, Utah.
The exhibit also includes two of the canes made from the oak coffin which carried Joseph Smith''s body from Carthage to Nauvoo, Illinois, in June 1844. Other unusual canes include one made from some of the first glass made in Utah and another hand carved by George Alan Miller that depicts two dozen events from early Latter-day Saint history. Two defensive canes, one that converts into a gun and another, a 12-inch knife, are also on display.
'Along with the canes,' Boatright said, 'we include a few photographs of some well-known people dressed in their top hats and black suits and holding canes as part of the fashion statement of the day. We''ve also displayed some of the clothing items from the late 19th century,' he said.