Useful Frigate Essex information
What follows is a collection of information you will find useful in constructing a model of the American frigate “USS Essex” of 1799.
The original design plan by William Hackett is in the National Archives (No. 41-9-1-L) as well as reproduced in the Frigate Essex Papers.
Additional plans have been developed by:
William A. Baker: The Frigate Essex Papers
Howard I. Chapelle: The History of American Sailing Ships (Plate 4, Figure 12, Illus p96)
The American Sailing Navy (Plan 11, p 184)
John R. Stevens: Modeling the Salem Frigate Essex, Model Shipways
Portia Takajian: 32 Gun Frigate Essex POF Model
The 32 Gun Frigate Essex AOS
Another good source of information is the Howard painting of the Essex shown shortly after launch, located in the Peabody Museum, Salem MA. Joseph Howard was the son of John Howard, co-partner of Samuel Buffum, sailmakers, who were responsible for the initial sails of Essex.
The Essex has been commonly modeled as launched, as per the 1804 Fox remodel, or in her war of 1812 configuration. She is a beautiful model no matter what era you decide to build her. Bruce Bollenbach.
MAGAZINES:
Nautical Research Journal
Article reprints available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
The U.S. Frigate Essex, by Francis Diane Robotti
Part 1 - NOV DEC 1956 (Vol 8, No 6) pp 153-168
Part 2 – JAN FEB 1957 (Vol 9, No 1) pp 13-26
Part 3 – MAR APR 1957 (Vol 9, No 2) pp 48-51
32 Gun Frigate Essex by Portia Takajian, Book Review by Merritt Edson
JUN 1931 (Vol 31, No 2) p 101
Nautical Research Guild Secretary’s Monthly
letter
Article reprints available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
Dimensions of the Frigate Essex, launched at Salem, Mass, 1799, by Winthrop Pratt Jr.
OCT 1951 (Vol 3, No 10) p 136
Supplement to Essex Dimensions, by L.W. Jenkins
DEC 1951 (Vol 3, No 12) p 159
Model Ship Builder
A back issue CD is available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
Working on the 32 Gun Essex, by Everett Kurt
Part 1 – MAR APR 1982 (Issue #16) pp 4-8
Part 2 – MAY JUN 1982 (Issue #17) pp 48-55
Building a Plank on Frame Model of the Frigate Essex, by Portia Takajian
Part 1 – JUL AUG 11982 (Issue #18) pp 36-39
Part 2 – SEP OCT 1982 (Issue #19) pp 20-23
Part 3 – NOV DEC 1982 (Issue #20) pp 35-37
Part 4 – JAN FEB 1983 (Issue #21) pp 23-27
Part 5 – MAR APR 1983 (Issue #22) pp 26-30
Part 6 – MAY JUN 1983 (Issue #23) pp 36-41
Part 7 – JUL AUG 1983 (Issue #24) pp 6-13
Part 8 – SEP OCT 1983 (Issue #25) pp 12-16
Part 9 – NOV DEC 1983 (Issue #26) pp 19-23
Part 10 – MAR APR 1984 (Issue #28) pp 12-18
Part 11 – MAY JUN 1984 (Issue #29) pp 26-31
Part 12 – JUL AUG 1984 (Issue # 30) pp 48-55
Part 13 – SEP OCT 1984 (Issue #31) pp 10-14
Part 14 – NOV DEC 1984 (Issue #32) pp 3-5
BOOKS
“The History of American Sailing Ships” by Howard I. Chappelle, WW Norton, 1935, p 94
“The American Sailing Navy” by Howard I. Chappelle, WW Norton, 1949, pp161-166
“The Frigate Essex Papers” by Philip Chadwick Foster Smith, Peabody Museum of Salem, 1974
“Modeling the Salem Frigate Essex 1799” by Jim Roberts, Model Shipways Co, 1984
“32 Gun Frigate Essex, Building a Plank on Frame Model” by Portia Takajian, Phoenix Publications, 1985
“The 32 Gun Frigate Essex, Anatomy of the Ship” by Portia Takajian, Phoenix Publications, 1990
“Steels Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging”, by David Steel, 1794
“Young Sea Officers Sheet
” by Darcy Lever, 1819
“Modeling the Brig of War Irene” by EW Petrejus, 1970
“The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War 1625-1860” by James Lees, 1984
“Rigging Period Ship Models”, by Lennarth Petersson, 2000
“The Fully Framed Model, Volume 4, Rigging a Sixth Rate Sloop of War 1767-1780”, by David Antscherl, 2010
What follows is a collection of information you will find useful in constructing a model of the American frigate “USS Essex” of 1799.
The original design plan by William Hackett is in the National Archives (No. 41-9-1-L) as well as reproduced in the Frigate Essex Papers.
Additional plans have been developed by:
William A. Baker: The Frigate Essex Papers
Howard I. Chapelle: The History of American Sailing Ships (Plate 4, Figure 12, Illus p96)
The American Sailing Navy (Plan 11, p 184)
John R. Stevens: Modeling the Salem Frigate Essex, Model Shipways
Portia Takajian: 32 Gun Frigate Essex POF Model
The 32 Gun Frigate Essex AOS
Another good source of information is the Howard painting of the Essex shown shortly after launch, located in the Peabody Museum, Salem MA. Joseph Howard was the son of John Howard, co-partner of Samuel Buffum, sailmakers, who were responsible for the initial sails of Essex.
The Essex has been commonly modeled as launched, as per the 1804 Fox remodel, or in her war of 1812 configuration. She is a beautiful model no matter what era you decide to build her. Bruce Bollenbach.
MAGAZINES:
Nautical Research Journal
Article reprints available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
The U.S. Frigate Essex, by Francis Diane Robotti
Part 1 - NOV DEC 1956 (Vol 8, No 6) pp 153-168
Part 2 – JAN FEB 1957 (Vol 9, No 1) pp 13-26
Part 3 – MAR APR 1957 (Vol 9, No 2) pp 48-51
32 Gun Frigate Essex by Portia Takajian, Book Review by Merritt Edson
JUN 1931 (Vol 31, No 2) p 101
Nautical Research Guild Secretary’s Monthly
letterArticle reprints available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
Dimensions of the Frigate Essex, launched at Salem, Mass, 1799, by Winthrop Pratt Jr.
OCT 1951 (Vol 3, No 10) p 136
Supplement to Essex Dimensions, by L.W. Jenkins
DEC 1951 (Vol 3, No 12) p 159
Model Ship Builder
A back issue CD is available from Nautical Research Guild (NRG) website.
Working on the 32 Gun Essex, by Everett Kurt
Part 1 – MAR APR 1982 (Issue #16) pp 4-8
Part 2 – MAY JUN 1982 (Issue #17) pp 48-55
Building a Plank on Frame Model of the Frigate Essex, by Portia Takajian
Part 1 – JUL AUG 11982 (Issue #18) pp 36-39
Part 2 – SEP OCT 1982 (Issue #19) pp 20-23
Part 3 – NOV DEC 1982 (Issue #20) pp 35-37
Part 4 – JAN FEB 1983 (Issue #21) pp 23-27
Part 5 – MAR APR 1983 (Issue #22) pp 26-30
Part 6 – MAY JUN 1983 (Issue #23) pp 36-41
Part 7 – JUL AUG 1983 (Issue #24) pp 6-13
Part 8 – SEP OCT 1983 (Issue #25) pp 12-16
Part 9 – NOV DEC 1983 (Issue #26) pp 19-23
Part 10 – MAR APR 1984 (Issue #28) pp 12-18
Part 11 – MAY JUN 1984 (Issue #29) pp 26-31
Part 12 – JUL AUG 1984 (Issue # 30) pp 48-55
Part 13 – SEP OCT 1984 (Issue #31) pp 10-14
Part 14 – NOV DEC 1984 (Issue #32) pp 3-5
BOOKS
“The History of American Sailing Ships” by Howard I. Chappelle, WW Norton, 1935, p 94
“The American Sailing Navy” by Howard I. Chappelle, WW Norton, 1949, pp161-166
“The Frigate Essex Papers” by Philip Chadwick Foster Smith, Peabody Museum of Salem, 1974
“Modeling the Salem Frigate Essex 1799” by Jim Roberts, Model Shipways Co, 1984
“32 Gun Frigate Essex, Building a Plank on Frame Model” by Portia Takajian, Phoenix Publications, 1985
“The 32 Gun Frigate Essex, Anatomy of the Ship” by Portia Takajian, Phoenix Publications, 1990
“Steels Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging”, by David Steel, 1794
“Young Sea Officers Sheet
” by Darcy Lever, 1819“Modeling the Brig of War Irene” by EW Petrejus, 1970
“The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War 1625-1860” by James Lees, 1984
“Rigging Period Ship Models”, by Lennarth Petersson, 2000
“The Fully Framed Model, Volume 4, Rigging a Sixth Rate Sloop of War 1767-1780”, by David Antscherl, 2010
