1905Gerrish
Loves Old Maine canoes
Rollin,
Curious if there was a serial number in that one?
Zack
Curious if there was a serial number in that one?
Zack
Joseph Ranco, canoe builder
- Thread starter Benson Gray
- Start date
Rollin Thurlow
member since 1980
No serial number
1905Gerrish
Loves Old Maine canoes
Rollin,
Could you tell us a bit more about the Gerrish history? Was it ever in southern Maine as it appears to me the original seat would have been from the Kennebunkport area as a replacement? Was the original seat made of Chestnut? You mention early Gerrish, curious of a date you would give it? I seem to believe it would have been a great candidate for a serial number being placed on it by my records but a few recent ones I have seen have not been in line with my thoughts. There are a few I have recorded and have the same 3 tier (one on tip, one on deck, one as carry handle) cane wrapping at each end including one I own. I believe you own a similar Gerrish with the same 3 tier cane wrap at each end that has no number?
Regards,
Zack
Could you tell us a bit more about the Gerrish history? Was it ever in southern Maine as it appears to me the original seat would have been from the Kennebunkport area as a replacement? Was the original seat made of Chestnut? You mention early Gerrish, curious of a date you would give it? I seem to believe it would have been a great candidate for a serial number being placed on it by my records but a few recent ones I have seen have not been in line with my thoughts. There are a few I have recorded and have the same 3 tier (one on tip, one on deck, one as carry handle) cane wrapping at each end including one I own. I believe you own a similar Gerrish with the same 3 tier cane wrap at each end that has no number?
Regards,
Zack
chris pearson
Michigan Canoe Nut
It is true how no 2 Gerrish’s are the same!!!
OP
OP
A recent response to a message in the WCHA's Fans group on Facebook about Joseph Ranco with the picture above said "old town canoe company owes our family royalties for selling joe ranco patents." I've decided to post more information here in case the topic comes up again. The patent at https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/58/82/37/b048f273e9faa5/US1195727.pdf from 1916 clearly assigns Joe's patent to the Penobscot Canoe Company as shown below.
The deck and canoe described in the patent were never built by the Old Town Canoe company. Alfred Wickett and Joseph Ranco left the Old Town Canoe company in 1915 to start the Penobscot Canoe company. Any unpaid royalties should have been settled during their bankruptcy proceedings in 1924 as described below.
Alfred Wickett sold all six shares of his Old Town Canoe stock on February 17th, 1915. Alfred and Joe worked at Old Town Canoe until 1915 but I am not aware of any royalty agreements related to their employment. Please let me know if anyone can provide documentation for this. Thanks,
Benson
Last edited:
chris pearson
Michigan Canoe Nut
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