A Morris in my backyard

[ticonderoga]

This past weekend I acquired a B N Morris! ( I think?). I have traveled all over New England looking for canoes and this one was 2 miles from my house! It just goes to show that you never know where the next canoe will come from. It is 17 feet long, 34" wide at the center thwart, has 24" decks, has a wide thwart in the stern, has splayed stems,all mahogany trim, riveted stem bands, floor racks and a brass tag with #4027 on it. Both decks have holes for a flag but the diamond fitting is missing. Under the both decks there what appears to be a painter ring attached to the center deck frame. The hull appears to be in good shape with only 3 broken ribs and two holes in the planking. Of interest to me , is that on the hull at both ends there is some writing that I can't make out as a name or a inspection mark of some sort. Any ideas? Also the gentleman I got it from gave me a flag pole with a 2" silver eagle on it that came from the stern of the canoe. I also got another eagle with a brass screw out the bottom that went on the bow. Are these original or put on afterward? From this info can anyone guess at the age, model, and if it is a Morris.

 

[Dan Miller]

Also the gentleman I got it from gave me a flag pole with a 2" silver eagle on it that came from the stern of the canoe. I also got another eagle with a brass screw out the bottom that went on the bow. Are these original or put on afterward?

Congratulations - nice looking Morris. I expect Kathy will be along shortly with the dating information.

The spread eagle flag pole was an option listed in many Morris catalogs, only pictured in 1919 - see item number 31 in attached image.

Dan

 

[wanderlustjake]

Wow! That is a nice find!

 

[Mark Adams]

NICE score!

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Glad you were able to get that canoe after all! It probably dates from 1906-7. The wider thwarts, as seen on this canoe, aren't very common. Can you post pictures of the eagles? Great find!

Kathy

 

[ticonderoga]

Here are some photos of the eagles.

 

[ticonderoga]

Here are some photos of the eagles.

Photos this time

 

[Kathryn Klos]

The eagles are great-- and authentic old ones from the Morris factory are rare.

 

[ticonderoga]

Wide thwarts

Glad you were able to get that canoe after all! It probably dates from 1906-7. The wider thwarts, as seen on this canoe, aren't very common. Can you post pictures of the eagles? Great find!

Kathy

Did the wide thwarts come in pairs on the canoe or only in the stern like this one? Also does the floor rack and pinstripping look original? Do you have any ideas on the writing on the hull and have you ever seen painter rings under the decks? Sorry for so many questions but I want to get this as original as possible. Thanks

 

[Kathryn Klos]

The wider thwarts were not standard. This may have been a custom order, and the buyer apparently only wanted one... or replacements could have been made at a later date. A restorer can often tell if a canoe has been worked on and what parts are replacements. Your thwarts look like Morris thwarts, so if any were replaced, that was done with Morris parts (note the page from the catalog, which shows the different thwarts).

Your canoe has the appearance of being fairly original, although the pictures don't show everything. Are the rivets holding the stem bands still intact? The floor rack looks right to me... pinstriping could have been done at any time-- with a canoe of this age, it may have been recanvassed and certainly may have been repainted, and the pinstripes placed to go with a re-paint. I don't know of a Morris having pinstripes on the decks coming from the factory, but canoe builders would do anything the customer wanted.

If there are intact rivets holding the stembands, the canvas may be original and if there are pieces of it left hanging on the canoe you might do some archaeology to determine original color.

The writing on the hull looks like "hlesk"... someone else may have an idea. "Check"? A person's name? Sometimes a person re-canvassing a canoe will write a name and/or date.

Morris painter rings (from the factory) went on the stem on the floor of the canoe, under the deck... sometimes only one.

Questions are good. Others can chime in too...

Kathy

 

[ticonderoga]

Yes the rivets holding the stem bands are intact and the original color appears to be a dark green. Is this particular color unique or can Epifanes or Easypoxy colors do the job? Thanks for so much info and I am sure more questions will come once restoration begin.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Would you be able to post detail pictures of:
--the stem band and its rivets
--the painter ring?

 

[ticonderoga]

Rivets and rings

Would you be able to post detail pictures of:
--the stem band and its rivets
--the painter ring?

The stem bands are broken but the rivets still show and the painter rings look like brass screw eyes evenly placed under both decks.

 

[ticonderoga]

The gentleman whom I got the Morris from also gave me some seats that I can't tell if they belong to this canoe or not. Does anyone have an idea on these? Thanks

 

[Kathryn Klos]

The two smaller ones are Morris back-rests. They were offered in mahogany and in maple.

 

[ticonderoga]

The two smaller ones are Morris back-rests. They were offered in mahogany and in maple.

These appear to be mahogany and not to sound silly, but how/where were they used / installed? Thanks

 

[Kathryn Klos]

You prop one against a thwart... the "feet" resting between ribs. They aren't permanently installed, but are used as-needed. They are for that "extra" person who sits between two paddlers, or the one special lady who is being courted by a fellow who does all the paddling-- in which case you'd put some pillows against the backrest and add a picnic lunch and crank-type Victrola with morning-glory horn. It's wonderful when a canoe comes with extras like this.

 

[Mark Adams]

Ticonderoga, Did you get the Private Message I sent you?

 

[Easternrivers]

That's an awesome canoe! A great find...I know what you mean when you talk about canoes being under your nose.
My sponson-Chestnut was within 10 clicks of home.....and to think I have driven 10 hrs. round trip to pick up another 'Nut.....would love to see this one restored. Oh, just my thought ....other than a little cleanup, I wouldn't shine up those eagles too much...The patina is what matches them to the canoe IMHO.

 

[ticonderoga]

That's an awesome canoe! A great find...I know what you mean when you talk about canoes being under your nose.
My sponson-Chestnut was within 10 clicks of home.....and to think I have driven 10 hrs. round trip to pick up another 'Nut.....would love to see this one restored. Oh, just my thought ....other than a little cleanup, I wouldn't shine up those eagles too much...The patina is what matches them to the canoe IMHO.

I agree, just soap and water! Thanks