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Wooden carry case for a scale clockwork model of the tug SYDNEY COVE
Wooden carry case for a scale clockwork model of the tug SYDNEY COVE

Wooden carry case for a scale clockwork model of the tug SYDNEY COVE

Model Maker
Dateafter 1956
Object number00019253
NameCase
MediumTimber, varnish, glue, felt, brass, leather, nails
DimensionsOverall: Height: 390 mm, width: 765 mm, depth: 155 mm
ClassificationsTools and equipment
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Mrs J D Edwards
DescriptionVarnished wooden carry case for a scale clockwork model of the tug SYDNEY COVE. It was made in Australia sometime after 1956 and the single red card affixed to the strap reads 'tug, "Sydney cove" / Fenwick & Co. Syd'.HistoryThis case was made for a clockwork model of the tug SYDNEY COVE, which was built by P K Harris in Devon, England for J Fenwick and Company in 1956. The 105-foot long tug sailed to Sydney under steam and was employed by Fenwicks until 1977 when it was sold to Charter Craft and Marine Services Pty Ltd. The model that fits inside this carry case was made by Arthur Joel Cole who served as Coxswain on Royal Navy picquet boats from 1901 to 1913. Sailor-made ship models were a recognised genre of the 19th century, and were often created to represent their maker's ships, sometimes while serving onboard them. The earliest powered models were operated by clockwork and the oldest known example of a clockwork ship model is dated to 1822. SignificanceThis timber carry case, and the model it was created for, are representative of sailor-made models that were popular around the time of the 19th century.