Helping a friend move and was wondering if you have any info on an Old Town wood canoe? Only number I can find is 1063 stamped on a brass(?) plate in the bow.
Welcome, early Old Town canoes are not known for having serial numbers on brass plates. Can you provide some pictures of the plate, bow deck, and other interior details? Thanks,
My guess is that you have a canoe from B. N. Morris and the information at http://www.wcha.org/content/bn-morris indicates that it may be from around 1902. There are no detailed build records available like there are for Old Town and a few other builders. Congratulations,
With the low serial number and the updated coved decks (from the teens) it is very possible/likely that it is a Veazie, an equally desirable Morris built canoe.
The Veazie numbering scheme has not been worked out. They tend to have numbers that would suggest an early Morris date but since they were not produced as early (beginning 1905 ish) and in smaller quantities they are usually younger canoes. My Veazie # 320 might be from 1910ish and one with sn 1063 could be from 1915/17 ish. I'm hopeful that I can lock down the date for the one I own from the journals kept by the original owner. Stay tuned.
This one looks like it's in very nice condition. what a great find.