Two-tone Thompsons?

bsterling1745

Enthusiastic about Wooden Canoes
Am posting this for a friend who is restoring a Thompson Hiawatha canoe circa 1935. An old black and white photo of this canoe shows a distinct water-line change in color (gray scale).

Did Thompson ever paint their canoes two-tone? The original color on this 1935 Hiawatha was red, and the bottom of the canoe looks distinctly darker?

Also wanting to know if the external oak wooden stems were painted, or left the natural color?

Thanks.
B Sterling
 
I answered Tim's questions directly via email yesterday, but here is what I told him.....
As a Wisconsin canoe restorer I see a lot of Thompson canoe and boats. Thompson actually had a retail outlet about 15 miles from my home in Minocqua, Wisconsin called Thompson Boat Mart.
I have never seen a Thompson can't with two tone paint. It could Have happened as a special order from the factory.
I believe that outer stems were painted at the factory, although I seem to recall seeing a catalog photo with unpainted outer stems. When restoring any canoe with outer stems, I always leave them natural. The look cool that way.
 

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Did Thompson ever paint their canoes two-tone?

Thompson listed multiple color options and designs in their catalogs as shown in the attachments below from the 1920s but I don't know if they ever actually shipped any. The 1939 Thompson catalog mentioned "double stems" in the description of the Indian model and said that "All woodwork is finished natural in Marine varnish to beautiful gloss." More information like this is available from http://www.wcha.org/store/thompson-brothers-boat-manufacturing-co-catalog-collection-usb-flash-drive in the catalog collection.

I prefer natural outside stems like Dave. My guess is that Thompson would probably do almost anything that the customer requested and was willing to pay for. I would encourage your friend to do what they like.

Benson



PAGE-26.jpg PAGE-16.jpg 1920-Thomp-a.jpg 1924-Thomp-a.jpg
 
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