Tom P acquires Chestnut Paddle

Some of the paddles in the private collection of Tom Penniston have been featured on the site. Tom was fortunate to recently acquire another spectacular pieces that was recently up for auction at Waddington's in December of 2024.

 Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) Paddle

56.25 x 4.5 x 1 in — 142.9 x 11.4 x 2.5 cm

Image Courtesy of Waddington's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Toronto

While not attributed to any specific carver, the paddle's style is reflective of an older form of Maliseet/Wabanaki paddle with the tear-drop blade and pointed tip. A similar paddle shape is seen in an circa 1886 illustration featuring a similar flattened handle and large carved drip ring being paddled by tourists renting out bark canoes from this post here.

One side of the grip face is etched with the former owners name, "W. Chestnut". This would be William T. Chestnut (1867 - 1935) of Chestnut Canoe Co fame. Long before the establishment of the canoe company in 1904, William was an avid outdoorsman and hunter while working in the family business, R. Chestnut & Sons, Hardware Merchants. Surviving documentation and photos showcase his love for outdoor pursuits, including this circa 1887 photograph featuring men of a sporting club in Fredericton, New Brunswick paddling bark canoes near their summer camp, Camp Comfort. William Chestnut on the far left with the white sleeves. 

Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

Reference number: P5-175

TAYLOR, GEORGE: PHOTOGRAPHS

Description

Eight men in canoes from Camp Comfort Island. The artistic layout of this picture caused it to make quite a hit in 1887. Springhill in background.

Source Link

The resolution and angle prevent seeing any details of his paddle, but it is not a stretch to think that in the 1880's these white patrons were commissioning birchbark canoes and accompanying paddles for their use from local Maliseet craftsmen. St. Mary's First Nation was located was directly across the river from Fredericton. Perhaps that it is the origin of William's which was customized with his name and an etching of nesting birds on the blade.

Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) Paddle

56.25 x 4.5 x 1 in — 142.9 x 11.4 x 2.5 cm

Image Courtesy of Waddington's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Toronto

 Blade Closeup

Image Courtesy of Waddington's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Toronto

Wabanaki Paddles at the Maine Maritime Museum

Here are four paddles in the collections of the Maine Maritime Museum. They have been grouped together because of their Penobscot / Wabanaki influences.

Canoe Paddles

Catalog Numbers: 2007.024.1 - .4

Descriptions:

1 - Penobscot Indian paddle (70" long)

2 - paddle manufactured by E. M. White, in Penobscot style (69" long)

3 - Wabanaki paddle, probably Penobscot, with wide blade (74" long)

4 - Wabanaki paddle with scalloped edges, possibly Passamaquoddy or Maliseet (69" long) 

https://maritimeme.catalogaccess.com/objects/17153

Tom Penniston's paddle acquisition: Rare decorated Mi'kmaw paddle

Some of the paddles in the private collection of Tom Penniston have been featured on the site. Tom was fortunate to recently acquire another spectacular pieces and has graciously allowed posting pics and details. This one has etched decoration on both sides of the handle but ink/dye drawings on one side of the blade. Dr. Roger J. Lewis, Curator of Mi’kmaq Cultural Heritage at the Nova Scotia Museum, has confirmed the paddle's origins as "definitely Mi’kmaq".

 

Decorated Mi’kmaq paddle

The grip also has a relatively unique style of roll grip that protrudes on one side but is flat on the other.

  

Etched decorations on grip

Ink artwork on blade

The non decorated side of the blade features an inscription with the first two lines reading:

"Made in gravel Pit yarmouth co ns"

" Mrs. L. Luxey made"

Gravel Pit Reserve was situated within Yarmouth county in southern Nova Scotia with the territory now forming part of Acadia First Nation. According to  Dr. Lewis, the Mrs. L. Luxey referred to in the inscription may be Mary "Lucy" Luxey (1855-1938) wife of Louis Luxey, chief of the Reserve. Unfortunately there is no date inscribed on the paddle  but if indeed it as was made by Mrs. Luxey as the inscription infers, it may one of the very few known examples carved by a female carver. 

Further proof of the Mi'kmaq  origin may be in the last line of the inscribed text. The first two words might be read as "al nu". Although the term Mi'kmaq is predominantly used by the tribal group today, another term used to refer to themselves in their own language was  "al nu" or sometimes phonetically written as "el nu". Much later in the mid-20th century the rules for writing were formalized and today the term is written as Lnu  or L' nu meaning "the people". Today, some of the reserves have the word Lnu in the name of the territory. As of yet, the rest of the phrase hasn't been translated.