A glass plate photo of a birchbark canoe in the collection of the Peabody Museum (Harvard) showcases the hull displayed with two full-sized paddles featuring elongated grips:
Peabody Number: 2004.24.5433
Display Title: Birchbark Canoe
Passamaquoddy
Geography/Provenience: North America/Canada/New Brunswick
Materials: Negative, glass plate
Further research revealed additional colour photos of these paddles which have been loosely dated to between 1800 and 1870 and donated by G.A. Peabody to the collection ca. 1870-1872.
Peabody Number: 72-29-10/7128.2
Display Title: Paddle (1 of 2) belonging to canoe 72-29-10/7128
Inventory Description: Paddle, flat blade, flattened handle, cracked tip
Date: 1800-1872
Culture/Period:Passamaquoddy
Geography/Provenience:North America/United States/Maine/Washington County/Eastport
Dimensions: Overall: 169 x 13.9 x 2.8 cm (66 9/16 x 5 1/2 x 1 1/8 in.)
Provenance:Collector: G. A. Peabody (ca. 1870 - 1872)
Peabody Number: 72-29-10/7128.1
Display Title: Paddle (1 of 2) belonging to canoe 72-29-10/7128
Inventory Description: Paddle, flat blade, handle flattened and flared at tip, at base of handle when it meets the paddle there are three lines carved into both sides of the handle.
Date: 1800-1872
Culture/Period:Passamaquoddy
Geography/Provenience:North America/United States/Maine/Washington County/Eastport
Dimensions: Overall: 169 x 13.9 x 2.8 cm (66 9/16 x 5 1/2 x 1 1/8 in.)
Provenance:Collector: G. A. Peabody (ca. 1870 - 1872)
A model version of this second paddle (Acc No. 2000.0038.000029F) was carved by Tappan Adney and now resides in the collection of the Mariner's Museum, though Adney dates the object to 1874. See link and images HERE.
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