Homes Antiques

I

have been selling ship models for 40

years. I have appreciated them all that

time but never in my dreams did I

imagine I would ever own one of the best

examples – an Admiralty model from the 18th

century. Often they can fetch six-figure sums!

However one recently came my way that was

reasonably priced and I now own something

I never thought I would. I am pretty useless at

anything handy so I marvel at such high quality

craftsmanship on such a small scale. It’s a great

art that is massively under appreciated.

These models were made to comply with

the Navy Board’s order (issued in 1716) that all

drafts for new vessels must be accompanied by a

scale model. So when a shipbuilder was pitching

to build a ship for the Navy they would make

an exact replica to show the decoration and give

a 3D impression of the ship. The detail on them

can be breathtaking. My model is a fairly typical

two-and-a-half feet long but the detail... each

window is handcarved and each pane is a slice

of transparent mica! They used quality materials

• predominantly box and fruitwood but the
  details are gilt brass and exquisitely painted and
  decorated panels. They were made to impress –
  if the buyer was going to pay the equivalent (in
  today’s money) of many millions of pounds for
  the full ship the shipbuilder wouldn’t skimp on
  the prototype.
  The art of ship model building flourished
  in the 19th century by which time every
  shipyard would have had its own model-making
  workshop – though there may be records in local
  museums of who the model makers were. They
  are typically anonymous but it was a highly
  skilled role. It was very much a father-to-son
  sort of tradition because the skills needed were
  very exacting.
  New collectors should veer away from
  anything kit-built – you are looking for scratch-
  built handmade models. And be aware of
  modern models of 19th and early 20th-century
  vessels from the Far East. They can be fantastic
  quality and you see them for under £1000
  but the resale value is immediately diminished
  while a good period version would be £5000

and will hold its value. Remember that if a

model looks too good to be true it most likely is

too good to be true.

There are specialist auction houses you can

visit – Charles Miller for instance holds two

dedicated fine marine antiques sales each year. If

you look through his catalogues or go along to

his sales then you’ll get a feel for what you like –

racing yachts steam ships or sailing ships? One’s

own personal attraction is crucial because well

every time I go into the room that my Admiralty

model sits in I cannot help but stop and look

at it and the more I look at it the more I see

and the more I see the more I appreciate it.

It’s a piece that gives me joy – isn’t that what

collecting’s all about? Q

FIVE FACTS ABOUT JON

1

Jon became MD of Bonhams auction

house in 2010 but when he started

in the business back in 1973 he joined

Sotheby’s Belgravia with the lowly job

title of ‘silver cleaner and tea boy’.

2

With Antiques Roadshow colleague

Hilary Kay Jon instigated the rst-

ever entertainment sale in the Eighties.

Paul McCartney’s piano was the star lot.

3

Jon has been a miscellaneous expert

on the Roadshow for 24 years.

4

Jon’s favourite piece on the

Roadshow was JFK’s ying jacket –

the US president had so the story goes

left it behind after a ing with a model.

Jon valued it at £200000–£300000.

5

A keen scuba diver Jon initially

began diving to value items on

shipwrecks. On one such dive the

salvagers found a unique silver-plated

astrolabe which is now housed in the

Mariners’ Museum Virginia.

* Learn more

Visit The

Historic

Dockyard

Chatham or

the Scottish

Maritime

Museum

Dumbarton.

Read The

Model Ship

by Norman

Napier Boyd or

Jon’s Nautical

Antiques &

Collectables.

INTERVIEW M E L S H E R W O O D

PORTRAIT GRANT SCOTT

SHIP MODELS

JON BADDELEY

The

Knowledge

154 H&A SUMMER 2017