A FINE QUALITY MODEL OF A SHIP BUILT BY JOSEPH THOMPSON & SONS LTD. OF SUNDERLAND IN 1935 FOR THE HALL BROTHERS STEAMSHIP COMPANY OF NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. THE MODEL, BUILT BY PROFESSIONALS IN THE EMPLOY OF THE SUNDERLAND YARD, IS COMPLETELY FITTED WITH EVERY DETAIL AND INSTRUMENT, FROM THE SUPERSTRUCTURE TO THE DEPTHS OF THE MAROON, PINK AND WHITE HULL. MOUNTED ON FOUR BRASS COLUMNS IN ITS ORIGINAL MAHOGANY & GLASS CASE, IT HAS TWO ORIGINAL BUILDERS PLATES.
THE STEEL CARGO SHIP MEASURED 428' LENGTH x 57'8" BEAM x 35'3" DEPTH AND PROVED CAPABLE OF MORE THAN HER DESIGN SPEED OF 11 KNOTS FROM HER SUNDERLAND-BUILT ENGINE AND FOUR-BLADE PROP. SHE FOUND MISFORTUNE ON THE HIGH SEAS DURING WORLD WAR II, WHEN AS PART OF A CONVOY ON AUGUST 27, 1941, SHE WAS STRUCK BY A TORPEDO FROM THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U-557 WEST OF IRELAND. OF THE 42 PEOPLE ONBOARD, ONLY THREE WERE SAVED AFTER THEY CLUNG TO AN OVERTURNED LIFEBOAT FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS AT SEA.
THIS EXTREMELY ACCURATE MODEL CONTAINS WING BRIDGES AND COVERED STRUCTURE FOR THE DECK AREAS, WITH FIVE HOLDS WITH PAIRED BOOM LIFTS. RAISED FORECASTLE AND POOP DECK, OSTENSIBLY FOR VANTAGE POINTS, NOD BACK TO THE SHIPS OF THE 17TH & 18TH CENTURIES WHEN BRITAIN RULED THE WAVES AND THE WESTERN WORLD. A TOP QUALITY ARTIFACT OF BOTH BRITISH SHIPPING AND THE WAR.
ORIGINAL MAHOGANY GLAZED CASE WITH BUILDERS PLATES FORE & AFT
