serial number 1632 (probably old town)

nooherooka

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I have an old wooden canoe that was given to me some years ago. I have watched it age from 96 to 106 years old. I don't know what to do with it. I've stopped using it in favor of an aluminum canoe. It came from an exclusive hunting club near Havelock NC called Camp Bryan. There are stories about it having been owned by one of the rich and famous patrons of the club. I'd like to hear from some of you. I don't know what I'm going to do with this old canoe. My dad is getting obsessed with proving whether or not Babe Ruth once owned it. Yes, some of you have seen me post here before. I have posted twice in the past ten years. I think I was snubbed, but am not smart enough to know for sure.

Did 1906 Old Town's ever sport a logo? If so where?

Since the exterior has been fiberglassed, has it lost much value?

I'm on a fixed income and could use some cash, any idea about a range of possible $ values?

Please respond only if you are very knowledgeable, polite, and tactful.

This isn't a joke.

Thanks.
nooherooka
 
I am probably not knowledgeable, polite, or tactful enough but I'll respond anyway. There are a some early Old Town canoes that have a logo / name plate left on the bow deck. A few examples are shown at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?5466&p=29727#post29727 and attached below. A fiberglass exterior will cause some loss of value but it depends on how this has been applied (and the difficulity of removal). There is some good information at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?57 about how to value an canoe like yours. My experience is that the potential of a famous former owner doesn't seem to add much to the prices that people are willing to pay for an old canoe. The build record for the Old Town canoe with serial number 1632 is missing so there isn't an easy way to authenticate it if you don't have an original decal left on the bow deck.

Can you post any pictures, especially of the serial numbers, side view, and entire bow deck area? You wrote about this canoe here previously in 2005 and in 2008 when you mentioned that "I think I remember it having diamond head bolts." This would indicate a canoe that is much newer than 1906 if they are original. Can you provide any other details?

Benson
 

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Benson, Thanks for your reply. i just checked my photo collection and couldn't find one of the old canoe. i hope to take a photo and post it for members to view. Thank you for the links. I am going to look at each of them. Hope to hear from you when I have more info. to share. Neil
 
My guess is that you don't have an Old Town canoe. The canoe with the serial number shown in the image attached below has the remains of an early Old Town decal on the deck and the font for the number three is a completely different shape. Can you post some other pictures of your canoe to help identify it by showing the side view and entire bow deck area? Thanks,

Benson
 

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Well, the decks don't look familar but they may have been replaced. It appears to have open gunwales which would be very unusual for an Old Town canoe with a serial number this low. It could be a Peterborough as Macky suggested but I know just enough about Canadian canoes to be dangerous. It doesn't appear to have any other obvious characteristics that could identify it. Sorry,

Benson
 
Benson, I have posted a few more pics of my canoe. I hope you will have time to view them and to comment as well. Thanks.
 
Well, the decks don't look familar but they may have been replaced. It appears to have open gunwales which would be very unusual for an Old Town canoe with a serial number this low. It could be a Peterborough as Macky suggested but I know just enough about Canadian canoes to be dangerous. It doesn't appear to have any other obvious characteristics that could identify it. Sorry,
(from Benson)
 
Well, the decks don't look familar but they may have been replaced. It appears to have open gunwales which would be very unusual for an Old Town with a serial number this low. It could be a Peterborough as Macky suggested but I know just enough about Canadian canoes to be dangerous. It doesn't appear to have any other obvious characteristics that could identify it. Sorry,
(from Benson)

Macky, I didn't know if you had seen the last few pics I posted of the canoe in question. Thanks...
 
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