Lusitania Builder’s Model

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

There is a post on the Mayhem site about the sale of a builder's model of Lusitania which was previously on display in their shipping gallery.

**LINK**

This is what happens when museums take models off display. Many of them were on conditional loan as long as they were kept on display so the museum collections get broken up. This one will probably end up in a private collection never to be seen again.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Lost to a private buyer?

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Colin

At least it will be looked after and will probably resurface in a few years time.

Paul

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Colin,

I think most people know the National Maritime Museum have 3000 models in store at Chatham Dockyard, great shame !! How did they get away with not painting the brass fittings ??

Regards Ray

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

It seems to have been a normal practise on builder's models of this era to not paint the brass fittings. Whether it was intended to 'enhance' the model and show off the model builder's art or maybe to make the model look that bit more spectacular I'm not so sure.

I have seen the 1/10th scale Bismarck model in the builder's yard office where it is stored and noticed that a lot of deck fittings on her were also in polished brass. I bet they never consider selling that one!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

As Richard says, it was the convention to plate metal fittings on builder's models but they were usually otherwise very accurate and are a very valuable source of small detail and things like rigging etc. which help to understand how things worked.

Paul, yes it may well resurface in the future but only to change hands privately. I doubt if it will ever go on public display again.

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

And the Daily Mail thinks the mighty Mauretania was a "boat!" Talk about dumbing down!

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

That's amazingly quite intelligent for the Daily Mail You should be appreciative of the fact that they realise it actually floated!

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