Antique Bamboo Ski Poles with faded black paint
c. 1930s - 40s, 20th Century
Bamboo, leather, metal
50" tall, 7" basket diameter
© Vintage Winter

A unique set and great decorative pair. These bamboo poles sport faded black paint with leather cap and strap style grips with their original single ring metal baskets and leather lacing. They have a tear on one of the leather baskets. These poles have a steel tip and aluminum ferrule.

Single Poles were used until about 1910 and made of a hardwood (hickory, willow, oak) to be sturdy and strong “push sticks”. In the 1920’s, bamboo shafts became popular because they were lighter weight and still strong. Ski Poles were also made of cane, in fact many of the 1940s WWII US Military 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops had cane poles with leather handgrips, rattan ring baskets with leather straps. The tip was steel and most had aluminum ferrules protecting the “snow” end of the ski pole (dating 1920s – 1950s). Adaptations continued in the ski pole “baskets” – going from a sturdy round wooden discs – to rattan rings and leather lacing. The handstraps of the ski pole were once simple canvas straps. Leather handgrips and straps were “in” for ski fashion in the 20s and 30s. Ski poles evolved to rubberized handgrips, metal shafts and metal rings in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Girl waxing a set of old wood Northland skis