canoe maker

Archive.org has a copy of the Rice Lake Canoe Co. Catalogue dated to 1900. The company was one of the many builders in southeastern Ontario at the turn of the 20th century and it's well illustrated catalogue showcases many style of canoes being built at the time. A short history of the company can be read here for anyone interested.

Page 14 of the document a full page ad with a series of paddles. They're all long deep-water paddles consistent with the deep lake water conditions of region. Check out those prices...$1.00 for an oiled Maple, Ash, or Spruce paddle!

Page 60 of Trading identities: the souvenir in Native North American art from the Northeast by Ruth B. Phillips (available partially online through Google Books) has some great pics of historic Maliseet carved paddles.

The black & white images show closeups of the blade decorations; the first paddle featuring a familiar double curved motif while the second a pictorial representation of a sporting camp scene.


Excerpt from her book...

2.7 a,b Two of four canoe paddles (details) commissioned by Frank Hazen from Maliseet carvers, c. 1880. Fig. 2.7a displays traditional double-curve motifs, while 2.7b displays an innovative pictorial vignette of a sporting camp scene, which would have been appreciated by touristic collectors but generally rejected by turn-of-the-century ethnological collectors.

I find the traditional curved etchings much more pleasing and remembered that I had seen this pattern before. A post from October 2009 featuring Rick Nash's gorgeous cherry Maliseet paddle seems to be a replica of this pattern.


Rick Nash paddle
Woodland Heirlooms

Another historic paddle photo from the McCord Museum, this one exhibiting an Innu (Montagnais) family posing with slender, straight sided paddles. Clicking the image will send you to the McCord's site which has a zoom feature.


Innu group standing in front of a tent, QC, about 1881
Jules-Ernest Livernois
Silver salts on paper mounted on card - Gelatin silver process
MP-0000.1107.5

A while back, I came across this intriguing print on LiveAuctioneers.com with the listing title of "Original Albumen Photograph American Indian Guide".


"INDIAN GUIDE, c. 1870".
Details from the site mentioned a date of circa 1870. An original period photograph, it measures 2.25" x 3.5" and is housed in a beveled 5.25" x 8.25" period mat. The subject, according to the pencil notation below the image, "INDIAN GUIDE, c. 1870", is seen standing leaning on a canoe paddle. Unfortunately, no details regarding the identity of the subject were available.

Later, thanks to an email from blog reader Luc Poitras, I learned the image is of Gabriel Acquin, a Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) guide who was the first to permanently settle on land that would eventually become St. Mary's First Nation.


Gabe Acquin (St. Mary's), c. 1866
University of New Brunswick Archives
In the photo Acquin is holding a rough looking paddle with an elongated grip typical of this region. Found a detailed bio page that mentioned some pretty neat stuff about the man. Here's an excerpt...

A turning-point in Gabe�s life occurred in 1860 when the 18-year-old Prince of Wales visited Fredericton. Passing by Government House in his canoe, Gabe was hailed by the prince, who asked for a ride. Against the remonstrances of equerries and household, Gabe paddled the future king across the river and into the mouth of the Nashwaak River before returning. Gabe was subsequently invited to England, first in 1883 as one of Canada�s entries in the International Fisheries Exhibition in London. With his canoe and wigwam and wearing an outfit beaded by his wife, an extraordinarily talented craftswoman, he set up camp on the ponds of South Kensington, renewed old friendships with royalty and officers he had known, and became, in the words of William Austin Squires, �the greatest social lion of the day.� Gabe is reputed to have gone to England again in the 1880s though this claim is undocumented. He was 82 when he took his last trip there, in 1893�94 with Paul Boyton�s World�s Water Show.

An intriguing little article in the August 1944 issue of Popular Science...

Rich F maintains a website devoted to the film, Last of the Mohicans. Some of the behind-the-scenes photos from this epic picture include shots of decorated paddles used in the brief canoeing scenes.

The center paddler in this fiberglass war canoe replica has a brightly painted red beavertail with some added chevron stripes designs.


The stern paddler in this shot has another painted paddle with horizontal bands of color. Resting in the bow of the canoe in the foreground is the previously mentioned chevron decorated beavertail.


Apparently between takes, some of the crew were able to take the war canoes out for a spin. Here's a shot of them escaping with a piece of the set!


Also on the site is a blurry shot of the gunstock war club and paddle used by the character Chingachgook. Difficult to make out the details but the red bladed paddle seems to have an image of a snake crawling up the blade.


Chingachgook's War Club & a Canoe Paddle

Found some more info on a historic paddle in the Toronto Reference Library Archives. This one is a full sized souvenir paddle which eventually ended up in the National Museum of Ireland. It was made for Colonel Jasper Grant, an Anglo-Irish Officer stationed in the Eastern Great Lakes region between 1804 - 1809.


Col. J Grant's Paddle
The grip on the paddle is a shortened, flattened style grip which includes an etched wreath decoration surrounding his initials.


Flattened Grip with Initials
Both sides of the blade a decorated with depictions of native scenes including dancing men with tomahawks, a solitary man with a tripod and cooking pot, and some figures paddling a canoe. One freight canoe has what looks like an HBC flag at the stern, you can just make out the cross marks of the Union Jack.


Blade Decorations
While the paddle was clearly decorated to a souvenir piece, its narrow blade shape and flattened grip seems to be consistent a few surviving museum paddles from the same region, like the Iroquois paddles at the Royal Ontario Museum

Here's an interesting bit of historically significant paddle art. The David Drummond designed book cover of The Woman Who Mapped Labrador which details the amazing canoe journey of Mina Hubbard. Details of her route were superimposed onto the paddle for the cover art. If I ever complete an epic wilderness journey one day, this might be a great way to commemorate the trip.


Hubbard's sole motivation was to complete the journey begun by her Husband, Leonidas, who died on the original expedition. She blamed his death on the ineptitude of his traveling companion, Dillon Wallace and decided to avenge her husband a few years later by completing the journey in his stead with no outdoor experience to her credit. Not to be outdone by a city woman, Wallace also set out to complete the journey and a competition of honor ensued. Wallace seemed to have an aversion to using local knowledge and help, but Hubbard did not reject the concept. By relying on Naskapi and Innu guides she completed the journey first.


Dillon Wallace, 15 July 1903
The Virtual Museum of Canada has an online exhibit of photos regarding the first Hubbard expedition and the subsequent one by Wallace which has some great photos of the group with their expedition paddles and other gear. Note the length the paddle which might've helped with poling in the shallow, rocky waters, but I can't picture this being anything but cumbersome when paddling except in the deepest of waters.

Here are some pics from a brief article in the Dec 1, 1941 issue of LIFE magazine detailing an Algonquin guide named Tuwassi carving a bush paddle from a birch log in one hour. Amazing skills. One day I hope to be this proficient with the axe and crooked knife.

Here are two interesting paintings by Cornelius Krieghoff in the collection of the McCord museum in Montreal. The essentially represent the same scene with subtle differences between them. In both, you can see a seated figure with painted paddle decorated in a chevron pattern, a seemingly common theme in many paddle paintings.


Aboriginal Camp in Lower Canada
Cornelius Krieghoff (1815-1872)
1847, 19th century


Paddle Closeup
In another similar version, the shaft and bobble grip of the paddle are in view. Also noticed that the chevron pattern on the paddle is now "pointing" in the opposite direction.


Indian Wigwam in Lower Canada
Cornelius Krieghoff (1815-1872)
About 1850, 19th century


Paddle closeup

With my own failed attempt at a bushcraft paddle this past summer, I was inspired by this nearly century old bushcraft paddle on display at the Canadian Canoe Museum that has a bit of significant history. It was carved by George Douglas, who led an Arctic expedition in 1911 to search for minerals in the Coppermine River watershed. His book about the journey entitled, Lands forlorn : a story of an expedition to Hearne's Coppermine River, is noteworthy for its attention to detail and superb photographs. An online copy of the book is available at Archive.org. The paddle carved from knotted spruce is quite weathered but still looks functional. Curious to note an absence of any grip.


Douglas' Spruce bush paddle


Description

Spent the holidays quite ill in bed. On the plus side, I was able to read an interesting biography, From the land of the shadows: The making of Grey Owl by Donald B Smith. Most people know Archie "Grey Owl" Belaney as one of the greatest fraudsters of the 20th century, an Englishman who passed himself as a native and ended up becoming world famous for his wilderness writings and message of conservation. When news of his actual history broke the day of his death, the public was shocked to find out he was a "fake" who happened to also be bigamist, an alcoholic and a general scoundrel who abandoned his many wives and his children.

Despite the negativity associated with his actual life (nobody's perfect right?), his message of conservation and commitment to nature seem authentic enough. Smith presents a very objective view of Belaney's behaviour, stemming from his own abandonment by his parents to be raised by paternal aunts that culminated in total immersion into his native fantasy.

Whatever you think of the man however, one thing is certain, and that is Belaney's paddling skills improved sufficiently for him to be considered an proficient canoeist. I've developed a bit of a fascination with other people's paddles and wondered if Belaney himself had a preferred design. In the wonderful silent films from the National Film Board that made Grey Owl (and his pet beaver Jelly Roll) world famous, you see him using some sort of elongated beavertail design. Also interesting to note his traditional use of lashed paddles during the portage as well as what looks like a tumpline dangling from the center yoke.

Beaver People by ONFB, National Film Board of Canada

Beaver Family by ONFB, National Film Board of Canada

This famous pic of Grey Owl sitting on the edge of his canoe was taken during his employment as a ranger at Riding Mountain National Park, in Manitoba. It shows a large, elongated beavertail paddle.


Grey Owl at Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba.
Date: [ca. 1931]
Photographer/Illustrator: Oliver, W.J., Calgary, Alberta
Due to low water conditions, Grey Owl moved to a cabin specially built for him on the shores of Lake Ajawaan, in Prince Albert National Park in the northern part of the adjacent province, Saskatchewan. The lodge was christened Beaver Lodge and Grey Owl famously extended an open invitation to any visitor...

Far enough away to gain seclusion, yet within reach of those whose genuine interest prompts them to make the trip, Beaver Lodge extends a welcome to you if your heart is right.

Tom Buttle's travel blog page on this area has some pics of Grey Owl's weathered old paddle that used to be displayed as well as lots of photos documenting the landscape. Obviously a different one than the beavertail from the Manitoba photo, but a classic straight forward design nonetheless. I also came across this picture of the paddle blade on Flickr as well as this shot of another young paddler posing with it.


Mr. Buttle posing with Grey Owl's signed paddle

If I ever make it out west with the canoe, this is one paddling destination I'll be visiting.

Not so long ago, I wrote a post about William Armstrong's painting of a Hudson's Bay Store scene. It depicted a painted paddle with yellow and red checkered pattern.


William Armstrong
Hudson's Bay Store, Fort William c. 1860-1870
National Gallery of Canada (no. 30490)


Paddle Closeup
While strolling through the "Historic Fur Trade" section on a recent visit to the Canadian Canoe Museum, I came across a display with a reproduction of this very same paddle. Normally, I probably would've passed it by without much attention, but now understand a bit more of its significance.


Canadian Canoe Museum Replica
Also frequent throughout the museum are replicas portrayed in the many paintings of Frances Anne Hopkins, especially those portrayed in her classic painting, Voyageurs at Dawn.


Voyageurs at Dawn, 1871
Archives Canada Citation


Decorated paddles laying on the ground
centre of painting)


More paddles leaning against a rock face
(far right of painting)
These bright scarlett paddles were decorated with various hash marks and chevron patterns. Here are some next to the museum's huge Montreal Canoe display


Voyageur Paddle Replicas
As a side note, the museum just released the 2010 dates for their Paddle Carving Workshop - the place where I first learned this fun hobby.

Found 3 more historical paintings documenting native paddle designs. Frederick A Verner (February 26, 1836 � May 16, 1928) was a prolific painter of Canadian landscape who also portrayed some native groups in his art. All three pieces below have some sort of painted decoration, either on the tip or the recurring chevron theme seen documented in earlier posts.


Ojibway Indian Encampment
by Frederick Arthur Verner, 1873
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, Ontario


Paddle closeup






Two Indians Paddling through Bullrushes(1893 )
Frederick A. Verner
watercolour over graphite on wove paper
16.7 x 13.9 cm
National Gallery of Canada (no. 16843)


Paddle Closeup





A Misty Morning (1905)
Frederick A. Verner
watercolour over graphite on wove paper
27.1 x 53.7 cm
National Gallery of Canada (no. 165)


Paddle Closeup

While browsing through The National Art Gallery of Canada's online site, I came across a painting that contained a pictorial representation of a decorated native paddle.


William Armstrong
Hudson's Bay Store, Fort William c. 1860-1870
National Gallery of Canada (no. 30490)
The seated figure on the left (veiled woman?) seems to be holding a thin paddle (narrow algonquin/ottertail style) with a yellow and red checkered design. Unfortunately the grip area is obscured by the placement of her hands.


Paddle Closeup