Model Shipways Fair American

I hope so. He was looking for a model( or someone to build him one). In his search he contacted John Garcia, who had him contact me, as they had my name and portfolio on file. More evidence as to, not only the superior product selection at Model Shipways (Expo), but the exceptional personal service and care for their customers.
 
A retired Navy guy living in Pompano Beach was looking for a sticks and strings ship model to reside in a space of specific proportions in his home. Preferably a specific Manila Galleon. But he wasn't married to the idea of that, fortunately. He'd tried several local antique dealers, but they wanted a lot of $ for some old models in need of a lot of restoration. So he contacted John Garcia at Model Expo. They had my name on file as a restorer- model builder with a portfolio of photos of examples. John put him on to me. I had just brought the model home from the Annapolis Marine Art Gallery, where it resided for about three years ,garnering a lot of interest, but no buyers. As luck would have it the model's dimensions exactly fit the space he'd allotted to it, Once again "Better to be lucky than good".;)
I emailed him the same set of photos posted here. He liked it and bought it at a good price. I like to display my models in cases on stands that look like they were made in the same historical period as the model. Hence a Georgian style mahogany base on ogee bracket feet. I have a cabinet maker friend who is a wood wizard.
Thanks for the compliment!:D
Pete
 
Once again, thanks for the compliments. I think she was my third or fourth build of any consequence. The original, which resides in the USNA collection is much darker, with a full compliment of sails, including stuns'ls on the starboard side. The original's transom is black with the painted drapery. I used Tanganika veneer strip wood from Model shipways for the deck and hull, walnut for the wales, and mahogany for the rails and other details. I am not faithful to documentarily historic representation. I like the blending and contrasting the mellow shades of natural wood with a thin coat of amber shellac polished on, like much of the antique furniture of this period I worked on. I have a more romantic notion of what I'm trying to achieve, More like a 3dimentional painting. If my models work more as works of art, I'm happy. I'm not gifted or fastidious enough to produce the kind of highly detailed and historically accurate masterpieces I've seen on this forum.

Pete
 
Back
Top