Wilbur and Wheelock

[MGC]

Thoughts on the Wilbur and Wheelock?
It seems like it was a real bargain for such a scarce boat.

 

[Benson Gray]

What did it sell for? Scarcity does not always produce a high price without a high demand as I'm sure that you know.

Benson

 

[MGC]

True...the Rushton sold higher and it's not half the canoe. It went for $2,300.

 

[MGC]

Almost two years to the day, I'm again wondering who the lucky bidder was for the Wilbur and Wheelock. The one that was auctioned today was an ugly duckling in a field of thoroughbreds and appears to have been one of today's bargains.
I was driving my truck back from Lubec, towing our camper, trying to keep on top of the auctions without letting my wife know what I was up to. When I was outbid, I was stuck. Another one bites the dust. Who got it? For that matter, there were a bunch of exceptional canoes sold today. Is anyone going to let on?

 

[Benson Gray]

I didn't bid on anything but was interested to see the Old Town at the first link below went for a $2200 hammer price and the 1943 catalog went for $225. The Morris at the third link went for $4300. The Wilbur and Wheelock at the last link for $925 was below their high estimate.

Benson

Old Town 17' Sponson Canoe Auction

17' dark green canoe with sponsons. Open mahogany gunwales, long mahogany decks, mahogany rowing seat. Grade AA HW model wood-canvas sponson canoe with {ellipsis}

www.liveauctioneers.com

Old Town Canoes And Boats 1943 Catalog Auction

42 pages, fully illustrated. 6" x 8"

www.liveauctioneers.com

B.n. Morris 18' Wood Canvas Rowing Canoe Auction

Wood-Canvas Rowing and Sailing Canoe L: 18' 4" B: 37 1/2" Wt: 98 lbs Built by B. N. Morris, Veazie, Maine, 1890-1895 The canoe evolved for paddling, but{ellipsis}

www.liveauctioneers.com

Wilbur & Wheelock Wooden Smooth Skin Canoe Auction

Made in Clayton, NY. 14.5' long x 33" wide. Made of cedar. This boat is currently stripped down to bare wood and restoration work will need to be done t{ellipsis}

www.liveauctioneers.com

 

[Dan Miller]

There was a 23% buyer's premium on top of the sale price. The Weebie and the Florida may have been the bargains of the day. I'm curious to know if we'll learn who bought the sailing canoe...

 

[Michael Grace]

Was anyone there in person? I was online and bid hard on some things, but there were deeper pockets out there. The W&W could be a fine canoe with a little work, and was a nice final price. There were others too - the Stevens/Butler canoe was wonderful for its history. And that Morris was simply gorgeous. The St. Lawrence skiff was a bargain at $400.

Any ideas on who built Tootsie?

14' Wooden Sailing Canoe "tootsie" - Aug 15, 2025 | Blanchards Auction Service In Ny

Decked cruising canoe, "Tootsie". Some brass hardware marked Rushton. Varnished wood lapstrake hull. Varnished deck with coamings.. Interior painted fla{ellipsis} on Aug 15, 2025

www.liveauctioneers.com

And a 1943 Old Town catalog at $277 including premium - WOW!

 

[MGC]

There was a 23% buyer's premium on top of the sale price. The Weebie and the Florida may have been the bargains of the day. I'm curious to know if we'll learn who bought the sailing canoe...

Agreed. They went low. The sailing canoe....what a boat... museum pieces. My pedestrian tastes are out of place at such an auction.

 

[MGC]

Until you own a skiff, they seem interesting. But once you have one, they can be a bit daunting. I once extracted one from a boat house on the Rideau. I was overwhelmed by it. 26 feet. I should have left it on the island where it had lived since it was new.
I was there last week, but unable to stay an extra day to look things over. I ogled the online catalog instead

 

[Benson Gray]

a 1943 Old Town catalog at $277 including premium

If the underbidder(s) or anyone else is interested in similar Old Town catalogs then we should talk. I have a few,

Benson