Long Deck Indian Princess

[jeffjohnson]

Long Deck Indian Princess
Could someone please post any available build record info for serial #13926 -17? I have what appears to be an early Carleton, Indian Princess Grade, with 30” long decks, open wales, and tapered ribs. The canoe measures 12.5” x 35” x 17’ matching Carleton’s catalog description. The mahogany decks have a tapered king plank with unique cross bracing underneath. The deck and coaming meet on each side in a decorative way. The coaming is missing the name tag…but there is a faint rectangle outline with four corner holes. The center thwart is also missing but the end thwarts and seats have fastening with recessed steel bolts, the heads are below flush wood plugs. In the photo of the bow profile I have a 1958 OTCA below for reference. Any help with identification would be appreciated.
Thanks Jeff

 

[Greg Nolan]

The Carlton canoe with serial number 13926 is a AA grade 17’ Indian Princess model built between March 1916 and April 1919; it was shipped to The Fair, Chicago, Ill. in May, 1919. It had western cedar planking, mahogany gunwales, and mahogany 30” decks. It was equipped with a keel, floor rack, and outside stems. It was originally painted dark red with a 2 inch blade stripe edged with gold.

I’m not sure what a “blade stripe” looks like, but you might want to take a look at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/thumbnal.html which shows many of Old Town’s designs – it may have been similar to one of those shown.

This scan and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description don't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.



Greg

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

“blade stripe”

Looks like it's "black stripe edged with gold"

 

[Greg Nolan]

Makes a lot more sense.

 

[jeffjohnson]

Greg, everything matches, and underneath several layers of paint, I see dark red. That color must have looked fantastic against the all mahogany finish. Apparently WW1 held up construction, but shipment to Chicago in 1919 helps explain why she has turned up here in northern Indiana.
Thanks for all your help.

 

[chris pearson]

Friggin sweet boat!

 

[Benson Gray]

There are some more Carleton records available for this canoe as shown below that confirm the black stripe intrepretation mentioned previously. This canoe appears on the bottom of the first page and it had a twin with serial number 13875. This three page order also included two in camouflage from the middle of the first page which may have been similar to the one shown at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/maritime.gif from the Old Town catalog. The one on the bottom of page two in peacock blue with a four inch orange stripe and turned down ends must have been similarly striking. The third page included five complete sail rigs and many other accessories. The total order came to just over $2000 with 38 canoes which must have filled a railroad car. There is no mention of a model canoe being included which is unusual for an order of this size.

Benson