De Pan

A beautiful image of canoe poling in Florida from the American Museum of Natural History Image Collection...

An expired (2007) listing on the LiveAuctioneers.com site lists an original painting by Philip Russell Goodwin (1881-1935) showing two hearty men poling a birchbark canoe. It eventually sold for $30 000!


Framed Piece; Closeup

Lot # 0130
Estimates: $15000 - $25000
Start Price: $10000
Description GOODWIN, Phillip Russell, (American, 1881-1935): Illustration, possibly for a Remington ad, depicting two men poling a canoe down river rapids, Oil/C, 30" x 20", signed and dated 1909, bears partial label verse "and Meelsins went up the Montreal and staked the mine", original frame 35 1/2" x 25 1/2". Small portion of inpaint with tiny patch visible verso, mid-upper right quadrant has minor fleck, pinpoint puncture in man's pant leg, needs cleaning.
Hammer Price $30000

Here is a 1926 photo of a French-Canadian guide in a canoe in the Laurentides region in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Great shot dismissing the common warning of never standing up in a canoe!


1926 Canoe Guide, Laurentides, Quebec
Year: 1926
Type: Original Photogravure
Expired Ebay Link
A closeup of the paddle reveals a very slender blade with a distinct spinal ridge. Seems to be somewhat consistent with the ideal paddle of Paul Provencher from the similar North Shore region of Quebec.


Paddle Closeup


October 25, 2015 Update: Found an older source for the above image dated to 1914. Click HERE for that post update.




From the same seller is a 1902 photo of a man poling up a tiny stream


Man Canoeing Canoe Stream
Photograph by William Lyman Underwood.
Year: 1902
Type: Original Halftone Print

Can't seem to get enough of the online editions of In the Maine Woods. The 1917 Edition has some great photos of some canoe poling. Here's one from Page 70. Check out the crazy bend on the pole as the Guide works the canoe upstream on the Moose River...


A crazy action shot ascending rapids well beyond my abilities found in the 1910 Edition...