Gray & Frost Makers, Auburndale, Mass.

[Paul Miller]

Hi,

Looking for help from anyone who would have any information about the above named builders.

I have attached a picture of a thwart tag from a recently aquired canoe that has a funking short deck and other characteristics of the Charles River builders.

I have checked the website and Dick Person's list of builders but can find no info.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Benson Gray]

The web page at http://books.google.com/books?id=VP...onepage&q=gray frost canoe auburndale&f=false from page 139 of Anthony's standard business directory and reference book identifies them as the proprietors of the Auburndale Boat House. The attached image shows several views of this establishment. Robertson's boathouse is shown on the other side of the railroad tracks. (This Gray is not related to anyone from Old Town, Maine as far as I know.) This looks like an interesting canoe,

Benson

 

[Paul Miller]

Great resource for information and great post cards.

Thanks for the help Bensen, and thanks for sharing the post cards.

Paul

 

[Dan Miller]

An 1895 advertisement also shows Gray and Frost as proprietors of Auburndale Boat House (General agents for the "Gerrish" Canvas Canoes).

The Newton Business directory lists them variously under Boats to Let and Boat and Canoe Builders between 1897 and 1929. In those years they were listed as builders, there was no livery category and all the liveries were lumped into the builder category. Like several of the boat liveries, they could have had a small canoe building operation. Alternatively, like some others, they may have had them built for them and placed their own tag on the canoes, as did F.W. Young.

 

[1905Gerrish]

Paul,

Very interesting canoe! Any more pics?

Zack

 

[Paul Miller]

Here are a few more pictures.

This was a canoe that was "fixed" by someone with crude skills.

Notice the ribs and planking replaced in the first two pics.

The re-canvas job ran the canvas over the top of the inwale and had it tacked to the top of the inwale.

The stems must have rotted some time ago so the profile of the stem has been altered, but enough of the inside stem is there to continue a line to where it should be.

I did find a few digits of a serial number on both ends but more work is need to show good pictures.

Great news is the decks and thwarts are Birdseye Maple.

Thanks for the help received,

Paul

 

[bredlo]

Beautiful decks - the design looks almost asian. That maple will look fantastic re-varnished.