is this an Old Town serial number or if not ?

[James Sweeny]

good evening,
This afternoon I went to pick up another canoe (never enough canoes) and the person I bought it from had an old canoe in his workshop filled with stuffed animals. It had long lost the canvas . He is a taxidermist and thought the canoe added to the warmth of the shop. . He said it was given to him by a friend of hs fathers who dated it from the first world war era.
Pushing aside a couple of foxes and a racoon I was just able to see a serial number which I think is 5373 (photo attached) . The first number is very faint and I think it is a 5.
Any ideas about it for me?
Thanks

 

[JClearwater]

James,
If possible take some additional photos. Pictures of the decks, planking pattern, gunwales, stem profile etc. all will help identify it.
Good luck with your new project.
Jim

 

[Benson Gray]

I agree with Jim that it will take more than a serial number alone to identify this canoe. The Old Town with number 5373 is a 17 foot long HW model that shipped in 1907. The Kennebec with this number is 16 feet long with sponsons from 1911. The Carleton shipped before 1910 so no records are available. A canoe from the late teens is likely to have a five digit serial number. The numbers should be stamped in both inside stems and the tips at the link below may help you confirm them. Let us know what you find.

Benson

How do I find a serial number on an old wooden canoe or boat?

Many old wooden canoes and boats have a serial number on both inside stems and a decal or tag with the manufacturer's logo on the bow deck. The number is usually stamped on the top of the lower part of the stems. The inside stems are the long curved pieces of wood that form the ends of the...

forums.wcha.org

 

[James Sweeny]

Thanks Jim and Benson,
My guess it is an Old Town from 1907, there was no sign that I could see between the stuffed animals that it ever had sponsons. It was a case of the story of its age being passed through a number of people over a number of years so the suggestion that it dated from the first world war period could be wrong. It wasn't in great shape and would take quite a lot of work to restore. Anyway I am not sure the owner wants to part with it - it adds to the ambience of his shop. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my past, hope to see you both at Paul Smith in July
James

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess it is an Old Town from 1907

I'm less sure. The fonts used in the Old Town serial numbers changed over time. The images below show confirmed Old Towns from 1907 and the number three is a distinctly different shape. Please let us know if you ever get any additional pictures. Thanks,

Benson