Possessing fine detail and quality, this model of the 19th Century whale ship JANET is an accurate representation of a ship that served for more than 30 years. The modeler has fitted her out in entirety, with boats suspended on the davits and in steerage storage. The hull's plank-on-frame construction is shown in cut-aways, allowing a view of the horizontal cargo of barrels, while the rest of the hull is copper plated.
JANET was built in 1846 and was purchased by Henry Wilcox of Westport. Wilcox owned her while she sailed on five lengthy voyages with consistent results during the heyday of American whaling. Her maiden voyage in 1846 saw her join the hunt in the recently discovered Pacific grounds, and it is recorded she sold 100 barrels of sperm whale oil at Lahina, Hawaii in 1851.
She sailed as well in the Atlantic, Arctic and Indian Oceans, and recorded decent to exceptional profits under her following captains: Capt. Henry Wescott, 1855-1858; Capt. George F. Coffin, 1859-1863; Capt. Stephen Flanders, 1864-1866; Capt. George N. Macy, 1869-1873. She changed owners twice after this in 1874 and was broken up in 1877 at New Bedford. In all, she harvested thousands of barrels of whale oil and pounds of baleen for manufacturing. It is an excellent example of a bygone era of American marine history.
