Value of a handmade wooden canoe

[Ethan Weisgerber]

Hello all,
My name is Ethan and I currently work for Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument, a small non-profit in Montana. One of our supporters donated a beautiful wooden canoe hand built by himself for us to put on our online auction in an effort to bolster our restoration projects this summer. Unfortunately, I don't know a lot about woodworking, let alone how to built a canoe! As a non-profit, we don't have the funds to afford a full appraisal and I was hoping someone here would be able to give a rough appraisal of its worth so that we have an idea of where to start the bidding process to get the most out of it. Attached are specifications, design print, and photos of finished work. Thank you all!

Design by Nick Schade, Mystic River Canoe
Length: 17' 2"
Weight: 42lbs
Beam: 34"
Max Payload: 450lbs
Draft: 4"
Material: cedar strip with mahogany thwart and gunwales

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the information at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/57/ should give you an idea of what other wooden canoes can sell for. This one is clearly not an antique but could sell for a few thousand dollars in the right market. Similar craft have sold on eBay from $899 to $5,299.99 recently. Good luck with the auction,

Benson

 

[Dennis]

Have you tried to contact Nick Schade of Mystic River Canoe? A quick google search yielded kit prices for nearly $1,900 for one of his canoes. The one you have is has stunning wood.