10th May, 2016 12:00
Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art ('Courageous')
322
[M] A FINE BUILDER'S HALF BLOCK MODEL FOR THE IRON...
carved from ¾in. laminated yellow pine with ebonised topside stencilled No.224, simulated gun ports, finely carved scrolled stern, head and figurehead decoration, lined boxwood fore and poop decks, mahogany main deck with cut-away masts and bow sprit, mounted on mahogany display board with suspension hooks -- 13 x 74½in. (33 x 189cm.) overall
Considered a remarkably fine vessel with excellent sailing properties and beautiful lines, she was deemed worthy enough for inclusion in Basil Lubbocks' Romance of the Clipper Ships published in 1930 and was even used by his collaborator Jack Spurling for the frontispiece. Registered at 1750 tons gross, she measured 264.2 feet long with a 39.8 feet beam and depth of 23.7 feet. Given an exceptionally high rig, her three masts carried 35,000 yards of sail - about 3300 more than the four-masted County of Peebles built by the same yard. Over fifty feet longer than Cutty Sark, she was proportionally slim and a crack sailer when given her legs recording crossings from Gravesend to Melbourne of 66 days in 1876 and 71 days from Melbourne to the Lizard in 1872. In 1898 she was sold on and by 1900 was in the possession of Robert Mattsson of Mariehamn. On the 8th December 1909 Mermerus left Fredrikshald bound for Melbourne with a cargo of timber when, three days later, she ran aground off Ranö, 12 nautical miles from Kristiansand in dense fog. During efforts to refloat her she lost her foremast and, when finally freed, it was only her cargo which kept her afloat. Uneconomic to repair, she was sold in 1910 for breaking. Her house flag from the Golden Fleece Line is preserved in the Royal Museum, Greenwich, object number AAA1000.
This lot will be available for viewing at Imperial Road
Sold for £4,712
Estimated at £2,500 - £4,000
(inc. buyer's premium of 24%)
Condition Report
Generally fine overall condition - some marks and fading commensurate with age, but structurally excellent.
We are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of this property. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Charles Miller Ltd is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE.
carved from ¾in. laminated yellow pine with ebonised topside stencilled No.224, simulated gun ports, finely carved scrolled stern, head and figurehead decoration, lined boxwood fore and poop decks, mahogany main deck with cut-away masts and bow sprit, mounted on mahogany display board with suspension hooks -- 13 x 74½in. (33 x 189cm.) overall
Considered a remarkably fine vessel with excellent sailing properties and beautiful lines, she was deemed worthy enough for inclusion in Basil Lubbocks' Romance of the Clipper Ships published in 1930 and was even used by his collaborator Jack Spurling for the frontispiece. Registered at 1750 tons gross, she measured 264.2 feet long with a 39.8 feet beam and depth of 23.7 feet. Given an exceptionally high rig, her three masts carried 35,000 yards of sail - about 3300 more than the four-masted County of Peebles built by the same yard. Over fifty feet longer than Cutty Sark, she was proportionally slim and a crack sailer when given her legs recording crossings from Gravesend to Melbourne of 66 days in 1876 and 71 days from Melbourne to the Lizard in 1872. In 1898 she was sold on and by 1900 was in the possession of Robert Mattsson of Mariehamn. On the 8th December 1909 Mermerus left Fredrikshald bound for Melbourne with a cargo of timber when, three days later, she ran aground off Ranö, 12 nautical miles from Kristiansand in dense fog. During efforts to refloat her she lost her foremast and, when finally freed, it was only her cargo which kept her afloat. Uneconomic to repair, she was sold in 1910 for breaking. Her house flag from the Golden Fleece Line is preserved in the Royal Museum, Greenwich, object number AAA1000.
This lot will be available for viewing at Imperial Road
Auction: Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art ('Courageous'), 10th May, 2016
