Book

[Craig Johnson]

I had a good canoe related day. I was looking for a small rabbit plane to use on planking so I stopped at a local antique mall. I found the plane and a spring caliper which will come in handy for paddle making. My daughter also spotted this canoe shaped candle holder. When I got home I found a friend had left me some books her husband had left to her. This one in particular I thought some might be interested in. It is from 1889 and mostly about lapstrake decked sailing canoes. Is any one familiar with this book? It lists other Forest and Stream books and one is "Woodcraft" by Nessmuk. I particularly enjoyed the second paragraph of the preface (last photo) especially the line about " nuisance to his family and friends."
Craig

 

[Dan Miller]

Well, I for one am a little familiar with this book - it is the one that ruined me for life! In 1998 I scanned a copy and put it on my web site - one of the first e-books ever.

You have the fourth of what would be nine editions of this book. It does not appear you have the plates that accompanied the book. These were packaged in a separate envelope and more often than not go missing. The first edition only had 24 plates, the second (maybe third) had 29, and by the fourth there were 50 plates. The plates were the scale lines drawings, sail plans and other drawings.

I am working on an article about the author, W.P. Stephens, for Wooden Canoe. He was one of the earliest to adopt this style of canoe that evolved from MacGregor's Rob Roys in England. Stephens built canoes commercially from 1880 t0 1883, when he took the job of canoeing and yachting editor for Forest and Stream magazine. He went on to design yachts (and some more canoes), and commented on the state of yachting into the 1940s. His "Traditions and Memories of American Yachting" is a seminal work, and not a bad way to wile away winter hours.

Among the boats described in the book are Dot, one of three Shadow model canoes built by William Everson, builder of the first decked sailing canoes in North America, Vesper, which would become one of J.H.Rushton's stock models, Pecowsic, I think the only three-masted sailing canoe to have been built, and more...

Yessir, it's a classic.

 

[Craig Johnson]

Thanks Dan. I knew someone here would know more about it. You are right, the plates are missing.
Craig

 

[Andre Cloutier]

That book ruined lots of us i suspect, my first edition has the plates and as Dan said they are great. Consider getting one of the reproduced sets to accompany your copy just for fun, they are fantastic.
Nice friends you have, Craig!

 

[Dan Miller]

In all my years of looking, I've only found original plates a handful of times, and am fortunate to have a sets from three different editions. Mystic Seaport did a nice reprint of the plates in the 1980s. It is out of print, but there is at least one copy at a reasonable price currently on used.addall.com

 

[Rob Stevens]

This bookseller (located via ABE) has SIX sets of plates for sale @ $40 each;

CANOE AND BOAT BUILDING. PLATES ONLY.
Stephens, W.P.
Bookseller: J. Tuttle Maritime Books, ABAA (Madison, WI, U.S.A.)
Bookseller Rating: 5-star rating
Quantity Available: 6

Book Description: Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic CT, 1987. wrappers. Reprint edit. Unpaged., plans throughout oblong format, Fifty plates from William Picard Stephen's Canoe and Boat Building, A complete manual for amateurs, printed from 2 editions of Forest and Stream Publishing, 1885 and 1898. Bookseller Inventory # 010544