Half Model of a 54-Gun Ship of the Line

Entry

Polychromed wooden half bracket model of the starboard side of a three-masted ship, mounted on a rectangular wooden backboard, painted blue.

The side of the ship is depicted by ribbands attached to frame moulds. Only the two gun decks are closed by broad ribbands. The poop deck is closed by a horizontal mould that is fitted on the level of the gun deck and the model is closed at the waterline by a second horizontal mould. Twenty-two pierced gun ports are indicated in two tiers. Both the forecastle and quarterdeck are outlined, their hances end in volutes. The sheer rises towards the stern. The lower wale and the sheer rail are indicated, the latter is interrupted by gun ports. The bow features a beakhead with cheeks, rails, a painted figurehead of a crowned lion, a beakhead bulkhead and a beakhead platform. The stern has a round tuck and a hollow counter. It stern has two storeys, a scalloped upper edge and is decorated with painted cartouches. The two-storey quarter galleries have bulb-shaped roofing and end in an ornamental fishtail below. The model has a straight, square-headed rudder that follows the skeg of the keel. The hull is almost flat and painted white below the waterline. Two bilge ribbands are indicated. No masts or bowsprit.

The interruption of the wales by the gun ports suggest a rather old design. An interesting feature is the double main frame amidships. There are various markings on the model: those on the stem and sternpost indicate a trim at the stern of one foot, while the numbering of the head frames on the keel, with letters forward of the main and numbers to aft, echo the drawing techniques used in Amsterdam after being introduced by British master shipwrights after 1727.¹ The model therefore appears to be of Amsterdam origin, which was also observed by Obreen.² It is possible that this model either reflects a design by John May (1694-1779), who built several 50-gun ships of the line, or the 56-gun ship of the line Batavier of 1779, built by Willem Lodewijk van Gent.

Scale unknown.