My Old Morris

[Zenith]

A year or so ago from somewhere on these forums I was informed that my old Morris # 5298 may be circa 1908, but I have not been able to find out where that was. My boat is definitely a Morris and I have heard that there is a number plating list that gives an approximate date of manufacture. The number plate on my Morris is oval and was on the left side bow over the first rib behind the breast hook. I replaced the inner thwart section about 35 years ago and still have the tag number. Does anyone know where I might find the tag number date listing? A picture of my Morris and other canoes can be seen on my web site at http://johnmaciver.tripod.com/id13.html I know that the date will not be perfect, but the closest I can get will help as I document what I am doing. I am not yet sure of the model type.
Thanks
John MacIver

 

[Benson Gray]

Your prior request is at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/15292/ and has a link to the page at http://www.wcha.org/content/bn-morris with the Morris serial number estimates. The information at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/morris/ may help you determine the model. Feel free to reply here or there if you have other questions. Good luck with the research and restoration,

Benson

 

[Zenith]

Benson,
Thank You. I am sure that you were the one with the Morris date information, and you have given me exactly what I needed!
Thanks
John MacIver

 

[MGC]

It is worth mentioning that the dating table is useful for estimating the approximate date of manufacture. It is equally worth noting that a recent (and very interesting) series of articles in Wooden Canoe suggest a need to modify one of the assumptions that I made when I created the table, that tags began to appear on Morris canoes in 1900. It is more likely to have been several years later...the table will need to be revised to reflect that. The revision will not affect the entire table and it is not likely to grossly affect the "circa" dating that we currently use....you boat may be more 1909ish once the changes are made.

 

[Zenith]

Thank you for your reply. Yes I know that the dates will be off a bit, but I am just trying to get somewhat close to the build time. I have been following the articles in the Wooden Canoe magazine with interest. They have given me a lot of incite into a canoe I had no knowledge about a few years ago.
Thanks again
John