Featured Bamboo walking stick with silver bits

I grabbed this earlier. The end cap looks to be silver and seems to have a mark on it. I can't find anything on the collar, although it is badly worn. Any ideas on the mark please? I cant fathom it.

 

I believe I see the legs of a lion and the uncrowned head of a leopard so British sterling, 1822 or after. The other mark looks like a small "a" to me but I don't know if that's what it is or which of the small "a's" it is.

https://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

 

I think you've nailed it. Thank you

 

It might be malacca cane rather than bamboo, and the designs on the silver fittings look like they might be Chinese/Asian export. You may be able to distinguish the material if you take off the rubber tip at the foot, exposing a cross section. Bamboo will be hollow (up to the first node) while malacca cane is solid.

Malacca cane can appear similar to bamboo, but is a different species of plant. It is taken from the lower stem of the climbing rattan palm. Finished canes might retain the characteristic nodes where the leaves originally attached, or they might be cut and polished off to present a smooth surface.
https://thewalkingstickjournal.com/woods/malacca-cane/

And from Chiswick Auctions -

"The Origins of Chinese Export Silver
From the late 18th century onwards, Chinese artisans began producing silver for export, particularly to Britain, Europe and America. These works mimicked Western forms such as salts, mugs, flatware, tea services and cruet sets. While stylistically Western, they were often decorated with distinctly Chinese motifs.

In place of formal hallmarks like those found on British silver, these early pieces often bore so-called “pseudo marks” which resembled British assay marks but had no official status. These marks often referred to the retailer rather than the actual maker.

By the mid-19th century, styles began to shift. Pieces became more overtly Chinese in aesthetic, with dragons, phoenixes and bamboo featuring prominently. At the same time, more accurate maker’s marks in Chinese characters began to appear."
https://www.chiswickauctions.co.uk/news-item/chinese-export-silver-artisans-and-retailers/

 

Thanks for the info. I've tried to remove the rubber stopper but it is glued on very tightly. I am struggling to make out the outline shape of the marks to pin the year down. The london marks dont seem to have that shape, post 1822, in my book.

 

that was a lovingly cherished walking aid............ nice find!