Dockyard Models

Models of parts of ships have in general been excluded from this catalogue, an exception to this rule is the halfmodels showing the interior of the ship and in a couple of cases waterline models.

Special provisions were made at an early date for the valuable ship model collections. On the 25th of June 1670 Christian V, the King of Denmark, ordered the Admiralty to build a model whenever noget capital Orlogs Skib skal bygges [a large ship of war is to be built]. For this growing collection of models a Model Chamber was established in 1690. It was located at the Navy Yard on Bremerholmen in Copenhagen. Unfortunately many of these valuable models were destroyed or damaged at the fire of 1795. At least 123 models, of which 51 ship models, were lost and many of those which were saved were to damaged by fire and had to be scrapped.

When the Royal Navy occupied the shipyard at Nyholm in 1807 another 50 models were lost. Another 28 models which had been transferred to the Christiansborgs Castle were lost when that castle burned in 1884.

In spite of all these unfortunate accidents, the collection still includes 136 ship models, 38 models of figure-heads and decorated sterns, and 73 models of constructional details and other equipment.

Sweden did not follow the Danish practice of collecting the growing number of ship models until 1752 when a Royal letter ordered Model Chambers to be established at the admiralty in Carlskrona and the naval bases at Stockholm and Gothenburg.

A special style of model building was developed in England during first part of the 17th century. This style is alternatively called Admiralty models, Dockyard models, or Navy Board models. In this catalogue the term Navy Board style model has been used. As a rule it can be stated that the earliest Navy Board style models are entirely unplanked and that with time the upperworks and the decks of these model were planked. The framing is not in accordance with the actual way of framing a ship but a stylished way.

A model made by the Master Shipwright Peter Pett in 1634 as a preliminary design for the Sovereign of the Seas was described by a contemporary writer as soe contrieved that every timber in her might be seen and left open and unplanked for that purposes, very neate and delightsome. [1]

In the late seventeenth century a model of the Royal Charles is known to have been displayed in a public house at Ratcliffe called the Three Pigeons. Unfortunately the model has not been noted since.

The term construction model has been used for models built in accordance to the actual practice of building ships and with more or less of the planking left out to show the framing and interior timbering. This style of ship modelling was prevalent in Denmark during the early 18th century.

In 1928 three thousands guineas was paid for a model reputing to be the Royal William of 1719. A dockyard model of HMS Burford, Admiral Vernon's flagship at the capture of Porto Bello in 1739, was sold for two thousand guineas. [2] But the record deal must surely be the thirty thousand pounds paid by Sir James Caird for the famed Mercury Collection, comprising 176 models.

Even to this date previously unknown Navy Board style models are discovered and put on the market for sale. Recently a model of an eighteenth century English Sixth Rate of 20 guns in a glass case was discovered behind a bath-tub in England. The model was subsequently sold at an auction for the record sum of GBP 121,000. [3]

17th Century Models [Restricted access]

18th Century Models

Test file of a few selected models:

1655 Naseby

Model:

1655 Naseby.

Location:

Statens Sjöhistoriska Museum, Stockholm. Inv. No. Ö 3.

Scale:

1:48

History:

The Master Shipwright Francis Sheldon, who was involved in building the Naseby, is believed to have brought this model with him when he came to Sweden in 1659.

Found swept in an old Swedish flag in a loft above the Modellkammaren in Karlskrona around 1895. When found the model was damaged and in three pieces. Subsequently restored by Rear-Admiral Jacob Hägg. Missing parts has been reconstructed in a lighter coloured wood.

Photographs:

Culver (1926), plate 6 (starboard side).

Sjöhistorisk Årsbok 1988-1989, pp 66 (stern, head & starboard side).

Stevens (1949), plate 7a (stern), plate 7b (starboard quarter gallery).

Svenskt Skeppsbyggeri fig. 146A (starboard bow), fig 146B (stern).

Bibliography:

Anderson, R.C.: An English Model at Stockholm. The Mariner's Mirror vol. 10, pp 216-218, ill.

Svensson, Sam: Identifiering av några fartygsmodeller i Sjöhistoriska Museet. Sjöhistorisk Årsbok 1959-1960, pp 95-113, ill.

Glete, pp ??-??.

The model was formerly believed to be the Naseby but Sam Svensson has shown that the model does not agree with the known dimensions of that ship.

1679 Grafton

Model:

1679 Grafton, English Third Rate, 70 guns.

Location:

Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection, Annapolis.

Scale:

1:48

Dimensions:

150'8½"x40'10"x16'2"

History:

Formerly in the J. Seymour Lucas Collection.

Photographs:

Starboard broadside. [From the US Naval Academy Museum].

Bibliography:

Catalogue of the Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection of Ship Models, No. 32.

1695 English Fourth Rate

Model:

1695 English Fourth Rate, 52 guns.

Location:

Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection, Annapolis.

Scale:

1:48

Dimensions:

124'0"x32'0"x14'0"

History:

Formerly in the Charles Sergison Collection at Chuckfield Park.

Photographs:

Stern. [From the US Naval Academy Museum].

Bibliography:

Catalogue of the Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection of Ship Models, No. 9.

1696 Enigheten

Model:

1696 Enigheten, Swedish 96-gun ship.

Location:

Marinmuseum, Karlskrona. Inv. no. K 53.

Scale:

Dimensions:

175'x42'x22'

History:

Probably made in Karlskrona during the building of the ship.

Photographs:

Both head and stern are missing from the model.

1703 English Fourth Rate.

Model:

c1703 English Fourth Rate, 52 guns.

Location:

Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection, Annapolis.

Scale:

1:64

Dimensions:

138'6"×33'0"×3'0"

History:

Formerly in the Charles Sergison Collection at Chuckfield Park.

Photographs:

Bowen (1949), pl 32 a (stern); Port broadside [From the US Naval Academy Museum].

Bibliography:

Catalogue of the Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection of Ship Models, No. 11.

1714 Prince Frederick

Model:

1714 Prince Frederick

Location:

Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection, Annapolis.

Scale:

1:48

Dimensions:

150'6"×41'0"×7'4"

History:

Photographs:

Starboard quarter. [From the US Naval Academy Museum].

Bibliography:

Catalogue of the Henry Huddleston Rogers Collection of Ship Models, No. 88.

1725 English Fourth Rate.

Model:

c1725 English Fourth Rate ship of 50 guns.

Location:

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Inv. no. 1725-12.

Scale:

1:48

History:

Caird Collection, 1955.

Photographs:

Neg 81:07, 107:15-18, 19, 20.

NMM: A8988 (broadside), A8987* (port bow), 8990 (stern).

Bibliography:

NMM, p 70.

1765 "La Sultane"

Model:

1765 La Sultane, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 13 MG 29.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1768 "La Flore"

Model:

1768 La Flore, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 13 MG 11.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1780 Swedish brigantine

Model:

1780 Swedish brigantine.

Location:

Marinmuseum, Karlskrona. Inv. No. ?.

Scale:

c 1:48

Dimensions:

History:

Probably built c1780 by David Fredrik Neuendorff [1746-1808].

Photographs:

Forepart [82 kB]; Afterpart [81 kB];

1800 French 18-pounder Frigate

Model:

1800 French 18-pounder frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 17 MG 11.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1805 French 18-pounder Frigate

Model:

1805 French 18-pounder frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 17 MG 10.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1806 "La Renommée"

Model:

1806 La Renommée, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 17 MG 8.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

The History of the French Frigate 1650-1850, p 362 (port broadside).

1820 La Louise

Model:

1820 La Louise, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 21 MG 20.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1822 "La Vestale"

Model:

1822 La Vestale, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 21 MG 18.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1825 French Frigate

Model:

1825 French frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 21 MG 17.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1828 "La Didon"

Model:

1828 La Didon, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 27 CN 29.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1830 French 2-rate Frigate

Model:

1830 French 2-rate frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 27 CN 65.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1842 "La Charte"

Model:

1842 La Charte, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 19 MG 8.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1844 "La Poursuivante"

Model:

1844 La Poursuivante, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 27 CN1 32.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1844 "La Poursuivante"

Model:

1844 La Poursuivante, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 18 MG 6.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

1846 "L'Alceste"

Model:

1846 L'Alceste, French ??-gun frigate.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 21 MG 19.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

The History of the French Frigate 1650-1850, p 362 (port broadside).

1847 "La Vincent"

Model:

1844 La Vincent, French ship-of-the-line.

Location:

Musée de la Marine, Paris. Inv. No. 25 CN 20.

Scale:

Dimensions:

History:

Photographs:

Bibliography:

1. Travels of Peter Munday , Hakluyt Society, Second Series, Vol. XLV. Back
2. Now at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Back
3. Model Shipwright, No. 72, June 1990, p 1. Back

Updated 1997-08-27 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives.

Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.