What Makes a Ship Model Valuable to Others?

[dockattner]

Part of the art world is driven by speculation. People buy it because they believe that it will increase in value. Believe it or not, art can be included as a “non-traditional” part of a self directed retirement account. Here in the USA referred to as an IRA. Supposedly in this case artistic appreciation of the artwork is secondary. For this to work, the investment must be liquid. There must be a ready market for the artwork when the owner wants to sell it.

I doubt if model ships, regardless of who built them have or will ever reach the point where they will have offer the liquidity to be a good investment.

Roger

Thank you, Roger.

 

[dockattner]

turn the table from seller to buyer i do have a collection of Harold Hahn's work. None of his ship models but his art.
I had an appraiser give me a value of the collection and it is worth in the thousands mind you not enough to sell and buy myself a private island or even retire on. But as an investment it increased in value a lot. Why i purchased his work was more because Harold was a personal friend and mentor of mine. In the early days i was working as a graphic/commercial artist so i was drawn to his work as an artist to artist. His work inspired me and to this day some 40 years later his work in ship modeling still inspires ship model builders. A model built from Hahn plans when well done will sell in the thousands. Then there is the connection and i do not quite know how to put it into words but here goes. Standing in an art gallery with a group of people looking at a work by Hahn i mention "oh i have a collection of his work" as all eyes turn to you really! are you a Patron of the Arts? a rich dude that collects art did you know him? yes i was his student. Oh my!
maybe like a sports fan who cheers on a team, he is not part of the team but feels a connection to it. I may of not done that work hanging on the wall but i relate to it, understand it, being a little part of it.
Last summer on vacation the wife and i were in an art gallery and i saw a piece that just caught my attention we walked out without it. We did continue are travels and after 50 miles away i could not let it go so we drove back and i bought it. So there is a connection between a buyer and a piece of artwork an appreciation a burning desire of "i got to have that!"
ship models you cannot relate to it, a kit model or scratch-built model look the same but if you're a part of it understand the artistic value of it have an appreciation for it then that sets the value for you and you alone.
a part of the collection

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Thank you for sharing your personal experience of being a part of the HH legacy, Dave.

 

[Bob Cleek]

I doubt if model ships, regardless of who built them have or will ever reach the point where they will have offer the liquidity to be a good investment.

Don't say that to the good Drs. Kreigstein! (I suppose you could buy a Navy Board model somewhere as an investment, but for the moment, I'm holding onto my Nvidia stock. )

 

[Bob Cleek]

ship models you cannot relate to it, a kit model or scratch-built model look the same but if you're a part of it understand the artistic value of it have an appreciation for it then that sets the value for you and you alone.
a part of the collection

I'd have to say that Harold's model for his naked lady etching is a bit too hairy for my taste. To each his own, I suppose.

I think one of the biggest problems with ship models in the fine arts market is their size, shape, and fragility. You can't just bring them home in the trunk of your car and hang them on the wall. Despite the rich getting richer these days, there just aren't that many mansions with huge rooms that can accommodate something like a 1:48 period warship without causing the interior decorator indigestion.