Indian Girl identification marks, decals or plates?

[crosscuts]

The closed gunnel Indian Girl canoe came with the ugly misguided interior paint stripped, missing decks, seats, thwarts and outwales. No I.D. marks, decals or plates. A later model, open gunnel, has "Ruston" engraved on a brass deck plate and "Indian Girl" and I.d. of builder stamped on the thwart. Can anyone describe or have a photo of identifying marks for the older Indian Girl. Thank you very much.

RC

 

[Dan Miller]

Indian Girl canoes built after 1905, when Rushton was incoportated, could be marked with a brass Rushton shield on the deck. A couple of real late ones had a decal. They would have a Rushton or Rushton, Inc. stamp on the stem, and the Trademark stamp on the thwart.

Early Indian Girl canoes had no deck marking, though the stem band was often stamped "Rushton" on the part folded over and overlapping the deck. The stems would be marked with the "J.H. Rushton/Canton NY" stamp on the upper face of the stems along with the serial number. One of the thwarts would have the trademark stamp (see attached).

 

[samb]

Stem band