Old Town Serial No. 9586
- Thread starter Catherine
- Start date
Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 9586 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, HW (heavy water) model with red Western cedar planking, closed spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, oak seats, spruce outside finish rails, and a keel. It was built between October, 1908 and February, 1909. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on February 12th, 1909 to Philadelphia, Penna. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.
This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/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-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. One issue with a low serial number like this is that it overlaps with many other manufacturers. The Kennebec with this serial number is 18 feet long and from 1915 while the Carleton is 17 feet long and from 1913 for example. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck,
Benson
This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/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-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. One issue with a low serial number like this is that it overlaps with many other manufacturers. The Kennebec with this serial number is 18 feet long and from 1915 while the Carleton is 17 feet long and from 1913 for example. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck,
Benson
Last edited:
Greg Nolan
enthusiast
Before undertaking the long drive, you might ask the seller for the length, and ask for a few photos of the canoe showing details that might help identify the canoe as an Old Town -- deck, shape of bow/stern, and overall appearance to get some idea of the canoe's condition (people are often very optimistic when they describe their own canoe, especially if it is for sale -- one person's "good condition" can be another person's "floating wreck" -- and one person's "needs minor work" is another person's " needs a complete restoration."
If you get pictures, you can post them here -- we love pictures of canoes of all sorts, in any condition.
Good luck, but as always, caveat emptor.
Greg
If you get pictures, you can post them here -- we love pictures of canoes of all sorts, in any condition.
Good luck, but as always, caveat emptor.
Greg
MGC
Scrapmaker
I've lost out on quite a few canoes while I circled the wagons and asked more of questions.
If the price is fair and if the canoe is interesting to you, commit to it contingent upon final inspection. That way you might avoid having it sold out from under you. A few hour drive to see a canoe is not a big deal, especially if the canoe turns out to be one you want.
That said, more often than not, sellers don't fully appreciate the condition of their canoes, don't value them properly or identify them correctly. Pictures can help get that sorted, but they are not a substitute for an inspection.
When buying good old canoes, he (or she) who hesitates is lost..........
If the price is fair and if the canoe is interesting to you, commit to it contingent upon final inspection. That way you might avoid having it sold out from under you. A few hour drive to see a canoe is not a big deal, especially if the canoe turns out to be one you want.
That said, more often than not, sellers don't fully appreciate the condition of their canoes, don't value them properly or identify them correctly. Pictures can help get that sorted, but they are not a substitute for an inspection.
When buying good old canoes, he (or she) who hesitates is lost..........
The Old Town canoe with serial number 9856 is a 17 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, HW (heavy water) model with red Western cedar planking, closed spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, oak seats, spruce outside finish rails, and a keel. It was built between November, 1908 and February, 1909. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on February 15th, 1909 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.
The Kennebec with this serial number is 18 feet long from 1915 and the Carleton is 17 feet long from 1913-1914. If the canoe is 20 feet long then my guess is that you may have at least one hidden digit. The Old Town canoe with serial number 98563 is a 20 foot long Guide model that shipped to Minnesota in 1928 for example as shown below.
Good luck and let us know what you find,
Benson
The Kennebec with this serial number is 18 feet long from 1915 and the Carleton is 17 feet long from 1913-1914. If the canoe is 20 feet long then my guess is that you may have at least one hidden digit. The Old Town canoe with serial number 98563 is a 20 foot long Guide model that shipped to Minnesota in 1928 for example as shown below.
Good luck and let us know what you find,
Benson
