This makhila walking stick has a bovine horn pommel top with a plaited black leather handle, which uncrews. There is also a plaited black leather wrist strap.

'The origins of the makhila – makila, makilla or maquila (there are several ways to spell it) – remain a mystery. There is very little written about this daily object at a time when every Basque had a makhila. Used as a walking companion by the Basques, the makhila – which means “stick” in Basque – was part of the daily lives of the inhabitants of the Basque Country and more particularly in the province of Labourd.
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people. The Basque country is located in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. Euskal Herria is the oldest documented Basque name for the area they inhabit, dating from the 16th century.'


There is a brass collar engraved with a Basque motto:
'Hunki Zak Beldur Ez Bahiz'
Which translates as:
'You were touched, but you weren't afraid.'
The collar is also engraved with the name of the original owner:
'William H Bryson'

The stick has a medlar shaft, a traditional Basque wood, and an original, large, patterned brass ferrule. The ferrule is engraved with the maker's name and a date:
'Makhilas Ainciart Bergara
1978'

Rare item, perfect for a collector or use. 

Measurements:
Length - 93.5cm 
Diameter of the top - 3.9cm 
Diameter of the shaft below the leather - 1.7cm 
Weight - 392g 
 
In very good condition with a few very light age marks.