***THIS ITEM IS NOW SOLD OUT***
Wood and Brass Barstools
From St. Lawrence Club Bar
Canadian Pacific Lines
1961-Built SS EMPRESS OF CANADA

Items from SS APOLLO (ex EMPRESS OF CANADA, MARDI GRAS, STAR OF TEXAS, OLYMPIC 2004, APOLLON)

The barstools on the APOLLON in 2001. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2001.

Original Vintage CP Materials
Solid Wooden Support Pole
Seat Swivels Atop A Brass Ball Bearing Mechanism
Lovely Brass Foot Rests and Base Cover
31 Inches Tall (Seat 17 Inches In Diameter)
$350 A Piece
Six Available
***THIS ITEM IS NOW SOLD OUT***

EMPRESS OF CANADA in her original CP livery. Peter Knego collection.

The lovely EMPRESS OF CANADA was the final flagship of the once mighty Canadian Pacific Lines transatlantic service.

When she debuted in 1961, she was part of the last wave of British ocean liners that would also include Orient Lines' ORIANA, P&O Lines CANBERRA, Union-Castle Lines' WINDSOR and TRANSVAAL CASTLEs and Shaw Savill's NORTHERN STAR. She was built during a transitional period between the more traditional post war stylings and the mid-1960s streamlined modern. The result was a pleasingly sleek profile and a spacious and modern ambiance with fittings in rich woodwork, etched glass, nickel and brass.

The first class St. Lawrence Club, facing starboard. Peter Knego collection.

A detail of the barstools as originally fitted. Peter Knego collection.

The interiors of the EMPRESS OF CANADA, according to the indispensible book, THE LAST WHITE EMPRESSES by Clive Harvey on Carmania Press, were designed by Mr. J. Patrick McBride and Mr. Paul Gel. The book goes on to explain that the St. Lawrence Club was paneled in figured larch with a blue and red color scheme. Two murals of the St. Lawrence River and four illustrations of famous ships were recessed into the paneling opposite the bar. Behind the bar, were armorial plaques of French Canadian families associated with the river. Eleven brass bar stools were stationed along the bar's length. Originally, they were fitted with curved wooden backs.

The former St. Lawrence Club Bar as it appeared on SS APOLLON in 2001, as the ship was being shut down for the final time. Photos and copright Peter Knego 2005.

When the ship went to the breakers as the APOLLO in late 2003, her interiors were in excellent condition. The forward bar had been freshly refitted just a few years prior. The stools were painted blue and the brass fixtures were still resplendent. The seats were covered in a medium blue colored naugahyde. The seat backs had disappeared at some point in the ship's late Canadian Pacific or early Carnival days.

One of the stools before polishing. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2005.

A bit of elbow grease and some Brite Boy and ....voila! This is to show what the stools will look like when polished, but please note, the ones I am offering will not be polished. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2005.

Top, a closer look at the lovely brass foot supports. Above, the underside of the seat showing the swivel mechanism. Photos and copyright Peter Knego 2005.

Among the lot of treasures I rescued were these bar stools. They were actually not on my short list, but my agent got confused and picked them up for me, anyway. After seeing them in person and marveling at their enduring construction, I am now happy he made this error. I polished up the brass on one stool to show what these will look like cleaned up.