Small Ship Models

Gleaming solid ebony and hand-carved railings can only begin to describe the artisan craftsmanship of the Cutty Sark ship model. And, though the real Cutty Sark sits dry-docked at Greenwich, London, sailors and model ship enthusiasts alike can have a miniature copy of the shift to admire in the comfort of their own home.Built in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1869 the Cutty Sark spent four years engaged in the China Tea Trade. For the next 20 years the water-worthy vessel sailed between England and Australia. Her career next took her to serve under the Portuguese flag for 25 years.

The Cutty Sark now belongs to the Tames Nautical Training College, but her legacy is brought to life through the miniature model bearing her name.

The early 20th century was the heyday of the ocean liner. The Titanic and Lusitania are just two of those monstrous masterpieces. The shiny paint adorning the ocean liners of the time was of the highest quality. The paint’s ingredients; lead powder mixed with linseed oil and hand mixed.

Though collectors of ocean liner models may want to reproduce that hand-mixed paint look, they don’t have to actually use lead and linseed oil. Many specialty shops offer paint that will have the same type of finish and color pigments as the paint used to lacquer the Titanic.

Collectors should also know that the shipbuilders of 100-years ago didn’t buy their paint in 5-gallon buckets. The painters if the Titanic, for example, mixed paint in a specially-built shed.

Model Ships are the scale representation of the actual ship.