Nautical Collectibles

Wooden Model Ships

Collectors of all ages have tried for generations to capture the adventure and history of the open sea aboard a sailing vessel. Collecting the wooden model ship is one avenue to relive those exciting days gone by.The wood model ship has been with us for thousands of years. From ancient Egypt a common pratice was to put a wood ship model in tombs to carry the soul of the deceased to their afterlife. A good many of these models were found over the years in archaeological digs and are now proudly displayed in museums the word over.

Wooden model ship building has gone through many changes over the years. During the 18th and 19th centuries, shipbuilders often used model ships to show their customers the techniques of ship building and what the new ship would look like. A great amount of detail was often included in these model ships to make them look like the actual ship to be built.

Some sailors with that rare amount of free time on board a ship of the early days, would pass that time with model ship building. A favorite of the times was the small ship in a bottle with rigging, sail and mast included. A nautical museum is a wonderful place to see this type of art work. Being far from the coastal areas is no exuse to miss this as you can find dozens of museums online. I can spend many hours doing just that.

In the United States in the 1920’s model ship kits became available and by the 1930’s were becoming very popular as nautical collectibles. A great many of these early models are now found in seafaring antique shops. These amazing wood ship models can be found easily on the internet stores and auctions also.