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Ingenium Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

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James Smart Christmas Tree Stand

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Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week
Address
901 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa, ON
Admission
Browse all Visitor Information for Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
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James Smart Christmas Tree Stand

Photo: Tom Alföldi

History:

In the 1930s, it was still common for Canadian families to travel into the countryside to cut their own Christmas trees—and this country’s iron foundries were ready to supply them with the necessary tools. Both the axe used to chop down the tree and the Christmas tree stand in which it would be displayed were made in Canada.

Current Location:

Collection Storage Facility

Provenance:

The James Smart Christmas tree stand was purchased from Jim Dunne of Peterborough, Ontario, at an estate auction.

Technical History:

The James Smart Christmas tree stand could hold a tree up to 3 inches in diameter. Christmas tree stands varied in design over the years. Their evolution is not easy to track, but it seems that the first US Patent for a Christmas tree stand was in 1874.  The search to find the best tree stand design, particularly for fresh trees which need water, seems to be an ongoing quest.  Look at the products being patented and offered on the market even today. Before the four-legged model, it seems most tree stands were designed as a patterned cast iron base. These were heavier than the four-legged model and had a cylindrical opening in the center to hold the tree. Screws were used to tighten it.

Manufacturer Information:

The James Smart Manufacturing Company was established in Brockville in 1854 and incorporated in 1861. To accommodate its growth, the company increased the number of shareholders. By 1883, the Gill family of Brockville and Montreal had gained control of the company and established a branch office and warehouse in Winnipeg. Around 1910, the company was purchased by Canada Foundries and Forgings. The Brockville plant remained in operation as the James Smart Plant until it closed in 1967.

AGRICULTURE
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Artifact No.
AX0040
Manufacturer
Canada Foundries and Forgings Limited
Manufacturer Location
Brockville, Ontario
Manufacture Date
ca. 1931
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About Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Located on a national heritage site, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is the world’s only working farm in the heart of a capital city.
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Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
901 Prince of Wales Drive
Ottawa ON K2C 3K1
Canada

613-991-3044
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  • Plan Your Visit
    • Health and Safety
    • Hours
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    • Accessibility
    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Host a Program
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At Your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Recipes
      • Try This Out
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      • Collection Highlights
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    • Library and Archives
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