Scale: 1:96. A contemporary full hull model of a sailing merchant barque (circa 1880), the whole of which is mounted on its original wooden baseboard. The hull is complete with copper sheathing below the waterline, a short forecastle and a ‘whaleback’ quarterdeck. On the main deck is a large deckhouse for the accommodation of passengers and some of the crew, as well as three cargo hatches giving access to the hold below.

Ships of this type and rig were first built in iron and later, with the introduction of steel, the larger four- and five-masted barques were built. The term barque refers to the format of the rig in that the fore and main masts are rigged with square sails across the hull, whilst the mizzen was rigged with two sail rigged ‘fore and aft’, i.e. along the centre of the hull. Even though this model is fitted with a half bust female figurehead on the bows, it has not been possible to identify it to any particular ship.