Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I have been asked to recommend a general work on ship models and their history, and it stopped me cold. Now, you'd think that there are general books on every subject, but most on ship models are either:

 

1) technical builder's guides, or

2) photo-rich treatments of museum collections. 

 

I'm asking you all for recommendations for my friend, by posting the question "Best general book on ship models?" on this forum. I hope to have a vetted short list in several days.

 

For now, I suggested he spend under $5 (including shipping) for a paperback edition of:

Historic Ship Models (Paperback) by Wolfram ZuMondfeld

 

This translation of the German original has way too much "how to" for him, but I recall that it includes a good review of the relationships between ships and ship models for as far back as Egypt. 

 

How about it? Do you have any other recommended general books?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Historic Ship Models is an excellent beginner's reference would be my recommendation also..

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, if he is only interested in the subject of ship models, as opposed to ship modelling, and also not a fan of the coffee table (that is, mainly photos) book, there are not a lot of options out there. 

 

For just one book, I would recommend R. Morton Nance, 2000. Classic Sailing-Ship Models in Photographs. Dover ed. Mineola, N.Y: Dover Publications. This modern reproduction by Dover books is from the 1924 original by Nance, R.M. Sailingship Models, a Selection from European and American Collections. Halton and T. Smith.  The 2000 reprint is available for under $1 USD on Amazon (not including shipping), or for the Kindle (and other ereaders) for $9.99 USD via Dover (or Google or Amazon &c.)

 

Other possibilities include some of the research articles in journals such as Mariner's Mirror.  See, for example, Laughton, L.G.C. 1925. The Study of Ship Models. The Mariner’s Mirror 11, no. 1: 4–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00253359.1925.10655300.

 

Unfortunately, in the same manner as there not being one exemplary "how to" book that meets every beginners needs, there is not a signle all encompassing book concerning the history and development of ship models.  The book by Nance and the collections listed in the Laughton article are, perhaps, the most comprehensive discussions of which I am aware.

Wayne

Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
Epictetus

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ship Models, Their Purpose and Development From 1650 to the Present, by Brian Lavery and Simon Stevens and The Model Ship, Her Role in History, by Norman Napier Boyd. Every ship modeler would want these in their collection.

Greg

website
Admiralty Models

moderator Echo Cross-section build
Admiralty Models Cross-section Build

Finished build
Pegasus, 1776, cross-section

Current build
Speedwell, 1752

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ship Models, Their Purpose and Development From 1650 to the Present, by Brian Lavery and Simon Stevens and The Model Ship, Her Role in History, by Norman Napier Boyd. Every ship modeler would want these in their collection.

 

Thanks, Greg - I do need to save up for both of these!

Wayne

Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
Epictetus

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 11 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...