The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Ophthalmology Monographs) [Paperback]

Edwin Tappan Adney (Author), Howard Chappelle (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ophthalmology Monographs | Publication Date: March 17, 1983

The bark canoes of the North American Indians, particularly those of birchbark, were among the most highly developed manually propelled primitive watercraft. They could be used to carry heavy loads in shallow streams but were light enough to be hauled long distances over land. Built with Stone Age tools from available materials, their design, size, and appearance were varied to suit the many requirements of their users. Upon arrival in North America, European settlers began using the native-made craft for traveling through the wilderness. Even today, canoes are based on these ancient designs. This fascinating guide combines historical background with instructions for constructing one. Author Edwin Tappan Adney, born in 1868, devoted his life to studying canoes and was practically the sole scholar in his field. His papers and research have been assembled by a curator at the Smithsonian Institution, and illustrated with black-and-white line drawings, diagrams, and photos.

Included here are measurements, detailed drawings, construction methods, and models. The book covers canoes from Newfoundland to the Pacific Ocean, as well as umiaks and kayaks from the Arctic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A fascinating and richly detailed look at a nearly lost handicraft.”—Fine Woodworking

About the Author

Edwin Tappan Adney (1868-1950) was an artist, a writer, a photographer and the man credited with saving the art of birch bark canoe construction. He built more than 100 models of different types, which are now housed at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. He is the author of The Klondike Stampede, a book, illustrated with his own photographs, about his experiences in the Yukon during the Gold Rush.

Howard Irving Chapelle (1901-1975) was a curator of maritime history at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. He authored many books and articles on maritime history and marine architecture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books (March 17, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560982969
• ISBN-13: 978-1560982968
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.5 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,856,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Classic Work on Bark and Skin Craft, December 20, 2000

By 

"canoe112" (14,000+) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Ophthalmology Monographs) (Paperback)

All modern students of bark and skin boats begin with this book. The intial work on the native watercraft of North America.

While the book does not cover the watercraft of all North American First Nations, it does provide a broad range of information on craft from many Nations across the continent.

This book is highy recommended to anyone interested in the history of canoes or kayaks as developed on the North American continent.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Build your own., January 25, 2011

By 

Fire Boy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Paperback)

This book provided me the ability to build a number of the craft within its pages. This is the stuff that dreams are made of. If you are thinking of building a small wooden, canvas, or bark boat, these measured drawings will give you ample information to scale off, loft, and build one of the included designs or, alternatively, to design one of your own boats drawing from the information that has been faithfully passed down by Adney and Chappelle. A stunning compilation of indigenous wisdom.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America, March 25, 2010

By 

A. Breiby (Wasilla, AK, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Paperback)

Bark Canoes and Skin Boats, by Edwin Tappan Adney and Howard Chapelle is THE classic on the subject. I first got a hardbound copy through the US Govt Printing Office back in 1974. The recent copy purchased through Amazon was a gift for a friend. Adney became interested in bark canoes back in the late 19th century when folks were still using them on a daily basis, so he was able to document them and subsequently make scale models of many of them. Chapelle was the curator of transportation at the Smithsonian Museum, and undoubtedly the best authority on traditional American boat types at the time of the book's publishing for both Euro-American and Native American development. If it weren't for him there is no doubt that knowledge of most of these craft would have died out. The skin boats contained in the volume have been recorded and measured from specimens in the Smithsonian and other museums, as well as from boats measured in the field. In addition to measured plans, there is excellent accompanying text on how the various boats were built and used. If you only wanted to get one book on this subject, this should be the one.