Babe Ruth's canoe for sale.

nooherooka

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I have a canoe that was given to me by a prominent local citizen. He told me that he obtained it from an exclusive hunting club where it had been left by The Babe. It has a serial number....1632. I know it was made in 1906. It was fiberglassed by a kid in the 1950's. It had a little rot on the bow and stern where it was left on the ground a few times too many. Certainly it needs some restoring. I want to sell it for the absolute maximum possible. I'm hoping Ted Turner will buy it. What do you think?
 
Another simular story

I have a park wardens Peterborough canoe from Prince Albert National Park. Apparently the park wardens would often deliver a very drunk Grey Owl home in it. Wish I could prove the story but it makes for a good one anyway.
 
Where have I heard the Babe story before???? The foggy noggin of a hard drive ain't what it used to be..:rolleyes:
 
bridges

Thanks guys, I never expected so much response and so quickly! I was under the impression that these threads and this site moved slowly like the black water in eastern North Carolina. So much for my impressions. We do have pictures of Babe Ruth hunting and fishing in this neck of the woods. He came here quite alot. I don't think the man who gave the canoe was deceiving me. He was at the end of his life when he gave it to me. He had nothing to gain from telling me this story. His wife confirmed it, as did his son. Others who know these people tell me that it is probably true. I am going to sell it one day. It turns 100 soon. I have had the canoe for 10 years and have enjoyed using it. Thanks for responding. Maybe you will see it on ebay soon?
 
proof

Ideally I would like to give a buyer enough information so that he could prove the story for himself. I don't have the financial resources to do it myself. A local university has some photos that I have not viewed of Babe at the hunt club. They will send photos if I send 125 dollars. There are lots of other folks who have pictures of him here. I have little doubt that one exists which pictures the canoe in the background. I just don't have the resources to track it down. I hope that I can get some interest by using sites like this one. I don't think I could sell it to Michael Jackson. I hope I'm never faced with that decision. Later.
 
Even if what you say is 100% true, I don't see it adding one dime to the current value of canoe. Now glassed, maybe a couple hundred bucks. Sounds like a case of antique road show fever.
 
Provenance

Didn't the plastic or tin canoe from "On Golden Pond" sell well on eBay?

I would think the canoe would be worth something more if the story was true, especially if the canoe was a Rushton Indian Girl.

Speaking of which, I have an Indian Girl that my have been paddled by Teddy Roosevelt at the Great Camp Santanoni. I do have a picture of James Fenimore Copper III paddling the canoe.

Thanks,

Paul
 

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Didn't the plastic or tin canoe from "On Golden Pond" sell well on eBay?

And there is the difference - the Golden Pond canoe had provenance - at least established enough to satisfy the buyers. The Babe Ruth canoe has a story, which is only worth the paper it is printed on to all except perhaps the most gullible of buyers.
 
thanks

No, money is not that important in the grand scheme of things. I was afraid that someday the barn would burn down and I'd lose the canoe and that maybe it had significant value. Someone else would be better situated to care for it properly. Of course if I could pay off the house and start a college fund for the 7 children, that would be great. But with the info. I've gotten from y'all I'd rather keep it and enjoy it as I have for the past 10 years. Maybe the children will get scholarships. They do seem to be real bright.

Later.
 
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