Help with early 18th Century pieces for Pirate display

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Hello, all.

I hope this is the right place for this and that it’s not too general.

I’m new and will likely ask many annoying questions already posed here ad nauseam, I’m sure, so let me preemptively pardon myself now.

Truth be told, I’m not looking to ship build. Not yet, anyway, and not due lack of interest. On the contrary, I’m generally the type that goes ALL in when I find a point of interest. To the point of obsession even. I’m already weary of it (almost didn’t register so as not to be tempted) and can see myself going down a rabbit hole here very quickly. I’ve already spent quite a bit of time reading through past threads. I just have too many hobbies already and can’t wholeheartedly pursue yet another, for time constraints as well as financial.

That being said, one of those aforementioned hobbies is model building of another sort. Mostly weapons or prop kits with the occasional statue here and there. My current project (obsession) is with the show Black Sails.

I intend to build a full display with the focal point being six 1/10 scale busts of some of the main characters from the show. My intention is to set them out on a tabletop underneath a period correct map of the West Indies. I don’t plan on painting these busts in color, ie skin and cloth tones, but in a faux brass to more resemble a museum grade bust made of a historic figure, some of whom are.

In addition to the busts, I’d like to populate the display with other maritime pieces and that’s how I came to be here with you folks.

I realize some of these items won’t necessarily fall into what you guys are using. Especially the larger 1:1 stuff. Truth be told, I could get a 6” anchor paperweight which has nothing to do with model ships, but maybe there are better options out there. As I mentioned, I’m familiar with other forms of the hobby, so kits or anything in need of assembly is fine. In fact, I’d rather make these pieces than flat out buy them completed.

Wheel

Anchor

Nets

Cannon(s)

Gold

Jewels

Compass caliper

Banners

Spyglass

Shot

In short, anything British/Spanish early 18th century circa 1710-30ish maybe?

Now, I could just google “18th century naval cannon” and get whatever matches looked the part. Most people wouldn’t scrutinize that, but it would bother me if the breech/button or carriage were incorrect to the period I’m attempting to recreate, so I registered here in hopes that I might get some help to stay true to this venture.

For example, there’s a Denix cannon (see attached) that to the layman’s eye looks pretty darn close, but that eyelet on the butt doesn’t look right to me. All of the canons I’ve seen (in the show or otherwise) always have the rope wrapped around the button.

Everything doesn’t need to be in scale with one another. I may add a 1:1 Doune flintlock to this display at some point, so don’t feel restricted by size. 1/10 bust, 1:1 pistol, 1/700 flotilla…doesn’t matter so long as it’s cohesive. That’s another reason why I chose to join here rather than a historical site as I know you guys work in many scales and would know the places to source the pieces im looking for as well as identify them.

I’d like not only get your knowledge on the correct parts to use, but also your opinions on how to make this display something very special, so any and all suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Chris-

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Thank you! That’s the perfect option for a larger version. I had found these in another thread.


With that size I could have multiple set up at the front of map maybe.

I know the busts will will be somewhere between a 1/12 6” action figure and 1/6 12”, but I might wait till they get here to get a better idea of which cannon would look best.

Thanks again for the suggestion!
 
Chris
There is a topic here at SoS that goes into some detail on making cannon, including 17th century, 18th century and more. You mentioned 18th century specifically. There were a couple Spanish patterns in many calibers and lengths, and five different English long gun patterns in various calibers and lengths so you have hundreds of choices.
As you are in the US I can send you 3D drawings of the barrels and 2D dawings of the appropriate carriages for each pattern. If you do not already have a contact, I can forward the name of a 3D printer that does great work for very reasonable prices. PM me if this is of interest.
An example of a scratch built model in 1:24 scale is below. It happens to be an English Armstrong Frederick pattern circa 1760-1790.

Allan
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An old tutorial PDF on making a ship's wheel is below
 

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Thank you, Allan! I really like that wheel project. I may take a stab at that for sure.

Here’s where I’m at. Please excuse the ridiculous mock-up, but everything I have so far is en route. I just wanted to lay out my ideas and get some input. It looks like I may need to add a ship to the display after all.

So this is 15x12 setup. Initially I had planned MUCH larger, but after researching maps, this is going to have to work. In retrospect, it’s for the best. I don’t have the space to display something 24x40, anyway, nor do I have the $5000 to purchase the map! I’ll explain…

Yes, I looked at reproductions of the map I wanted and there are no short suppliers of printers using public domain files to print out the exact same map, imperfections and all. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m crazy and really wanted something from the time period. That being said,the second best version of this map is 15x12 and I can get it for under $100. Only issue being a small amount of the upper corner is missing. Nothing a box of Cheesits can’t fix, right?!

The spice bottles are the busts. The box of crackers I’m thinking can be some kind of Ship Of the Line and will completely cover the ripped portion of the map. The batteries would be cannons, I’m thinking 35-40mm and 6 across the front. Quarters equal Spanish coins. Can opener is the calipers.

That’s all I got for now. Any suggestions? The ship I hadn’t really intended on initially as I know I can’t build my own at this point. Maybe someday. I guess if I wanted it to be the hero ship of the series, The Walrus, then it would need to be a square-rigged frigate, but the stern is very ornate and I’m guessing specific to the show, so I wouldn’t know where to begin.

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Being as I’ve decided to attend a ship build. Could someone point me in the right direction of kit that would most closely resemble the following…

Edit: I guess a Zevzeda Black Swan Would be a good base. Ultimately the stern would need major modifications, though. Had I the skills I could likely import the exact dimensions of the existing pieces into a 3D software, sculpt the correct details, then print out new pieces. Unfortunately, I don’t have the resources for that.

Here’s more


Thank you!

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Maybe throw in a cob coin or two- not terribly expensive, pirate-like and from the period? Or a bit of an onion bottle or just a piece of black glass bottle?
 
Good idea with the bottle! They are everywhere in the show. I’ve been looking at a couple different one. At first k thought I could use that to cover the missing corner of my map instead of attempting a ship, but I almost feel the ship (in some form anyway) needs a place here, also.

I was hoping to find one in the shape of the second bottle below as that’s the same bottle one of the busts in my display is holding. I think that would tie everything together really nicely. I guess that’s more of what the call a transitional onion and used more for wine at the time rather than rum as in the first squatter shaped bottle.

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Busts are here! Map and calipers are on the way and I think I’ll go with the 40mm canons from DryDock. Now I just gotta figure out the ship….

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Welcome aboard…make sure you post photos once you complete your project.
 
Thank you! I’ll definitely update the thread as I make progress. I know it doesn’t require any skills or anything to do with building, but I’m super excited for the map and compass to arrive! Just having items from the same time as these gentlemen were around is pretty cool.

I also emailed a couple of VFX guys as well as the practical set builder for Black Sails. I’m hoping they can provide me some reference materials for the Walrus. I’d love it if I could get a 3D asset to work with, but I’d settle for some good pics of the stern carvings.

I was looking over the Black Pearl/Swan plastic kit in greater detail, and while others have painted theirs like the Walrus, it’s not very similar at all. I guess since most frigates look similar that’s enough for most folks. Not this one! Haha
 
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