Silent Movie Birchbark Canoe

From the Archives Society of Alberta, a movie promo pic of silent film star Olive Borden photographed on location at Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park. Apparently, it was for the 1926 film, The Country Beyond complete with a Mountie and other Canadian stereotypes.


Interesting to note that complete lack of gunwale lashing, ribs and sheathing. Furthermore, it looks to be made of 2 layers of bark with the inner brown sides back to back so that both the outer hull and interior have the white side facing out. The layers are delaminating and shredding off. Not a smart or authentic design of course. The canoe obviously was meant to be a prop and fulfill the audiences' expections of Canadian transportation in the wilderness. Another shot below shows the canoe next to a raft with the magnificient scenery in the background.


I think I've finally found a bark canoe that is uglier than my own!