Existing comment:
What Models Tell Us:
This pristine model of an English Third Rate ship of about 1705 contains several rare examples of contemporary shipbuilding practice. For example, although Royal Navy ships of the line in the 17th and early 18th centuries were habitually fitted with diagonal braces called "pointers" to stiffen the hull, they are rarely found on dockyard models. Yet, in this instance, with the aid of fiber optic equipment, we can see five such pointers in the hold. Few English dockyard models contain furniture, yet here you can see a lovely carved round table and bench similar to ones shown in a contemporary engraving. Best of all is the model's wheel, which is believed to be the earliest example of a traditional ship's wheel in the world. |