Ambrotype of Musician (?) on Ebay

[KLCoombs]

I'm culling out my collection to re-capitalize my small business and before I part with some of this stuff I'd like to get opinions on it. I've listed this ruby ambrotype of a young man with an interesting cap -- a sort of stiffer variation on a mechanic's wheel cap and in his hand he's got this stick with almost a spool-shaped knob on the end. Is he a band member and is this a drumstick of some kind? Or, is a conductor's wand? Something in me says he's a "conductor" -- but of WHAT? A band? or a train or an omnibus? :confused_

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260219521202

Opinions eagerly sought. It's a nice "occupational" ambro but before I say good bye to it and ship it off, would love to have a better idea of what "occupation".

[BobbyHughes]

IMHO, it looks alot like a walking stick.

[markj]

Yes, it's a walking stick. Judging from the man's clothing (especially the fashionably off-center cravat) and the patent dates of the case (which is presumably contemporary with the image), the ambrotype most likely dates to c.1857-1860.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger