Bob Cleek

I'd be interested in knowing whether there is any archaeological evidence of woven wool cloth being used as "caulking" in the manner depicted by saxonship.org's website.  Since none of the wooden hull survived the centuries, it's hard to believe there is any evidence of woolen woven material used in the Sutton Hoo ship. It's surely unlike any clinker planking technique I've ever encountered before.
 
From the project's website:
 

 
Clinker or lapstrake planking is always plainsawn, not quartersawn, as it is with carvel planking. Clinker planking is generally not caulked at all. The flat plainsawn planks swell tightly against one another at the laps. There's no way to drive caulking between the laps without damaging the lapstrake plank seams. (Although, today's clinker builders often resort to some poly-something goop to avoid the need to permit a dry stored boat to take up or to compensate for plywood's lack of swelling at all.) As pictured above, they have quarter-sawn (edge-grained) planking with a rather thin lap and what they claim is woolen fabric laid flat between the lap. I can't see how that piece of fabric adds much of anything at all to "caulking" a lapped seam that doesn't require any caulking in the first place. Moreover, I don't believe the builders in that era even had sawing technology. I could be wrong on this, but I believe they got out their plank by splitting it from the trunk and then shaping it with broad axes, adzes, and draw knives. That alone would preclude quarter sawn planking.
 
I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically to the Saxon period English vessels. I also was of the impression that none of the wood hull of the Sutton Hoo ship survived the elements, save to leave a "ghost" impression in the surrounding soil which permitted some very rudimentary measurement of her midship lines. (Any trace of the bow and stern were gone completely when excavated.) I do know that all the Science Museum's records on the Sutton Hoo ship (which was excavated immediately prior to WWII) were destroyed in the Blitz. I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically the Saxon period English vessels. However it would appear this "replica" ship is really going to be another "educated guess" a in the case of Columbus' ships of discovery, Drake's Golden Hinde, Mayflower, a host of other "replicas" extant today.
 
I'm not knocking replicas. They have their place and any boat is fine, some are just finer than others. This outfit has some nice CGI depictions of their ambitions, but I'm afraid they need to realize that there's many a slip between the cup and the lip.

A lamp in that  position isn't too low at all if the compass card is illuminated from below. It's exactly where it ought to be in that case. That permits the card to be closer to the glass at the upper end of a tube-shaped "bowl" which has a glass face on both the bottom and top of the bowl. With the card closer to the top of the bowl, it is easier read in the daytime. With the lamp illuminating the space in the base of the binnacle stand, the inside of which would be painted white, or the lamp even having a "bullseye" Fresnel lens and a right angled mirror in front of it, sufficient light could be transmitted up through the bottom "window" of the compass "bowl" to light the card from below in the night-time.  No?

I'd be interested in knowing whether there is any archaeological evidence of woven wool cloth being used as "caulking" in the manner depicted by saxonship.org's website.  Since none of the wooden hull survived the centuries, it's hard to believe there is any evidence of woolen woven material used in the Sutton Hoo ship. It's surely unlike any clinker planking technique I've ever encountered before.
 
From the project's website:
 

 
Clinker or lapstrake planking is always plainsawn, not quartersawn, as it is with carvel planking. Clinker planking is generally not caulked at all. The flat plainsawn planks swell tightly against one another at the laps. There's no way to drive caulking between the laps without damaging the lapstrake plank seams. (Although, today's clinker builders often resort to some poly-something goop to avoid the need to permit a dry stored boat to take up or to compensate for plywood's lack of swelling at all.) As pictured above, they have quarter-sawn (edge-grained) planking with a rather thin lap and what they claim is woolen fabric laid flat between the lap. I can't see how that piece of fabric adds much of anything at all to "caulking" a lapped seam that doesn't require any caulking in the first place. Moreover, I don't believe the builders in that era even had sawing technology. I could be wrong on this, but I believe they got out their plank by splitting it from the trunk and then shaping it with broad axes, adzes, and draw knives. That alone would preclude quarter sawn planking.
 
I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically to the Saxon period English vessels. I also was of the impression that none of the wood hull of the Sutton Hoo ship survived the elements, save to leave a "ghost" impression in the surrounding soil which permitted some very rudimentary measurement of her midship lines. (Any trace of the bow and stern were gone completely when excavated.) I do know that all the Science Museum's records on the Sutton Hoo ship (which was excavated immediately prior to WWII) were destroyed in the Blitz. I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically the Saxon period English vessels. However it would appear this "replica" ship is really going to be another "educated guess" a in the case of Columbus' ships of discovery, Drake's Golden Hinde, Mayflower, a host of other "replicas" extant today.
 
I'm not knocking replicas. They have their place and any boat is fine, some are just finer than others. This outfit has some nice CGI depictions of their ambitions, but I'm afraid they need to realize that there's many a slip between the cup and the lip.

I'd be interested in knowing whether there is any archaeological evidence of woven wool cloth being used as "caulking" in the manner depicted by saxonship.org's website.  Since none of the wooden hull survived the centuries, it's hard to believe there is any evidence of woolen woven material used in the Sutton Hoo ship. It's surely unlike any clinker planking technique I've ever encountered before.
 
From the project's website:
 

 
Clinker or lapstrake planking is always plainsawn, not quartersawn, as it is with carvel planking. Clinker planking is generally not caulked at all. The flat plainsawn planks swell tightly against one another at the laps. There's no way to drive caulking between the laps without damaging the lapstrake plank seams. (Although, today's clinker builders often resort to some poly-something goop to avoid the need to permit a dry stored boat to take up or to compensate for plywood's lack of swelling at all.) As pictured above, they have quarter-sawn (edge-grained) planking with a rather thin lap and what they claim is woolen fabric laid flat between the lap. I can't see how that piece of fabric adds much of anything at all to "caulking" a lapped seam that doesn't require any caulking in the first place. Moreover, I don't believe the builders in that era even had sawing technology. I could be wrong on this, but I believe they got out their plank by splitting it from the trunk and then shaping it with broad axes, adzes, and draw knives. That alone would preclude quarter sawn planking.
 
I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically to the Saxon period English vessels. I also was of the impression that none of the wood hull of the Sutton Hoo ship survived the elements, save to leave a "ghost" impression in the surrounding soil which permitted some very rudimentary measurement of her midship lines. (Any trace of the bow and stern were gone completely when excavated.) I do know that all the Science Museum's records on the Sutton Hoo ship (which was excavated immediately prior to WWII) were destroyed in the Blitz. I am unsure whether the Norse ships that have been discovered with their wood intact in Scandanavia were constructed identically the Saxon period English vessels. However it would appear this "replica" ship is really going to be another "educated guess" a in the case of Columbus' ships of discovery, Drake's Golden Hinde, Mayflower, a host of other "replicas" extant today.
 
I'm not knocking replicas. They have their place and any boat is fine, some are just finer than others. This outfit has some nice CGI depictions of their ambitions, but I'm afraid they need to realize that there's many a slip between the cup and the lip.

A lamp in that  position isn't too low at all if the compass card is illuminated from below. It's exactly where it ought to be in that case. That permits the card to be closer to the glass at the upper end of a tube-shaped "bowl" which has a glass face on both the bottom and top of the bowl. With the card closer to the top of the bowl, it is easier read in the daytime. With the lamp illuminating the space in the base of the binnacle stand, the inside of which would be painted white, or the lamp even having a "bullseye" Fresnel lens and a right angled mirror in front of it, sufficient light could be transmitted up through the bottom "window" of the compass "bowl" to light the card from below in the night-time.  No?

A lamp in that  position isn't too low at all if the compass card is illuminated from below. It's exactly where it ought to be in that case. That permits the card to be closer to the glass at the upper end of a tube-shaped "bowl" which has a glass face on both the bottom and top of the bowl. With the card closer to the top of the bowl, it is easier read in the daytime. With the lamp illuminating the space in the base of the binnacle stand, the inside of which would be painted white, or the lamp even having a "bullseye" Fresnel lens and a right angled mirror in front of it, sufficient light could be transmitted up through the bottom "window" of the compass "bowl" to light the card from below in the night-time.  No?

Check out our sponsors on the front page.   Is there a hobby store near you?   Even if they don't carry ships they usually have models and along with paints and tools.  We have one in our town that does that.  Ships, they don't carry but will order.
 
Also, you might call some local artist supply stores but kind of doubt they would have model paints unless they sell models.  

Johann, I believe it to be a lamp. 

Yes, indeed. Proportional dividers are invaluable modeling tools. They are also very handy for scaling plans. Rather than worrying about getting copies that are accurate to a different scale, you can simply take up the measurement from the plan you have at whatever scale (or better yet, if you are an accuracy wonk, take the measurement indicated on the plan from a rule and then let your proportional dividers translate that to the scale you desire with exact accuracy. (Of course, alternately, the same can be accomplished with a regular divider and a scale rule.)
 
I'd urge anybody who is interested to spring the extra few bucks for the Keuffel and Essser Paragon (model) ten-inch rack and pinion decimally scaled proportional dividers, rather than the less expensive 6" or 7" proportional dividers. The rack and pinion 10" dividers are easy to set with a high degree of accuracy and are adjustable with Vernier adjustment to .001. The beauty of the decimal scaling is that you can accurately set the instrument for any proportion, expressed as a decimal equivalent. The less expensive models only give you proportional scaling of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on. (You can adjust them "manually" by setting the points to known measurements without regard to the scaling on the instrument.)
 
The 10" proportionally scaled dividers are also sold by other instrument makers, such a Post, Bowen, and Dietzgen. All of these are the same instrument made in the same German instrument factory and branded as required. the Keuffel and Esser Paragon models seem to bring a higher price on eBay because K&E is recognized as a top end marque (although they offered a wide range of quality at different price points.) A ten inch decimally scaled geared adjusting proportional dividers in decent shape can usually be had on eBay for less than $100. (Highly collectable "mint in the box" examples often sell for much more.)
 
An example sold by Post now listed on US eBay for $89.99:
 VINTAGE POST #931 10" PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER W/ ORIGINAL BOX GERMANY | eBay

 
An early Keuffel and Esser model listed for $109.99 Vintage K&E Paragon 10" Proportional Dividers Drafting Set Drawing Instruments | eBay
 

Very late production (1980's?) K&E in apparent mint condition asking $269.99 and will probably never see that. KEUFFEL & ESSER PARAGON UNIVERSAL PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER TOOL W/ CASE GERMANY | eBay The "end of an era" "Mark I" line of K&E instruments were of a lesser "fit and finish" than the earlier K&E "Paragon" line, which was their highest quality model line. Much of the older Paragon stock was packaged in "Mark 1" boxing, as is the case with this example. Still a fine example, but not as "elegant" as the earlier hand-fitted matched serial number instruments of the "Golden Age."

Later production K&E case with "cheat sheet" plate on bottom of case listing common settings and equivalents:

These price points may be a bit steep for some, I realize, but this instrument will last you for a lifetime and many more if given reasonable care. You will never wrestle with the math of calculating proportional measurements or dividing a line of a circle into any number of equal segments, plus loads of other stuff you'll probably never need or understand if you are mathematically challenged like I am. And you'll never have to fiddle with dead batteries! These are the finest and most versatile proportional dividers ever manufactured and they aren't making any more of them, so the prices keep going up as time goes on. Compare these to the junk MicroMark is selling for $165! Proportional Divider, scale drawing up or down, moveable pivot point adjusts ratio one end to the other (micromark.com)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yes, indeed. Proportional dividers are invaluable modeling tools. They are also very handy for scaling plans. Rather than worrying about getting copies that are accurate to a different scale, you can simply take up the measurement from the plan you have at whatever scale (or better yet, if you are an accuracy wonk, take the measurement indicated on the plan from a rule and then let your proportional dividers translate that to the scale you desire with exact accuracy. (Of course, alternately, the same can be accomplished with a regular divider and a scale rule.)
 
I'd urge anybody who is interested to spring the extra few bucks for the Keuffel and Essser Paragon (model) ten-inch rack and pinion decimally scaled proportional dividers, rather than the less expensive 6" or 7" proportional dividers. The rack and pinion 10" dividers are easy to set with a high degree of accuracy and are adjustable with Vernier adjustment to .001. The beauty of the decimal scaling is that you can accurately set the instrument for any proportion, expressed as a decimal equivalent. The less expensive models only give you proportional scaling of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on. (You can adjust them "manually" by setting the points to known measurements without regard to the scaling on the instrument.)
 
The 10" proportionally scaled dividers are also sold by other instrument makers, such a Post, Bowen, and Dietzgen. All of these are the same instrument made in the same German instrument factory and branded as required. the Keuffel and Esser Paragon models seem to bring a higher price on eBay because K&E is recognized as a top end marque (although they offered a wide range of quality at different price points.) A ten inch decimally scaled geared adjusting proportional dividers in decent shape can usually be had on eBay for less than $100. (Highly collectable "mint in the box" examples often sell for much more.)
 
An example sold by Post now listed on US eBay for $89.99:
 VINTAGE POST #931 10" PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER W/ ORIGINAL BOX GERMANY | eBay

 
An early Keuffel and Esser model listed for $109.99 Vintage K&E Paragon 10" Proportional Dividers Drafting Set Drawing Instruments | eBay
 

Very late production (1980's?) K&E in apparent mint condition asking $269.99 and will probably never see that. KEUFFEL & ESSER PARAGON UNIVERSAL PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER TOOL W/ CASE GERMANY | eBay The "end of an era" "Mark I" line of K&E instruments were of a lesser "fit and finish" than the earlier K&E "Paragon" line, which was their highest quality model line. Much of the older Paragon stock was packaged in "Mark 1" boxing, as is the case with this example. Still a fine example, but not as "elegant" as the earlier hand-fitted matched serial number instruments of the "Golden Age."

Later production K&E case with "cheat sheet" plate on bottom of case listing common settings and equivalents:

These price points may be a bit steep for some, I realize, but this instrument will last you for a lifetime and many more if given reasonable care. You will never wrestle with the math of calculating proportional measurements or dividing a line of a circle into any number of equal segments, plus loads of other stuff you'll probably never need or understand if you are mathematically challenged like I am. And you'll never have to fiddle with dead batteries! These are the finest and most versatile proportional dividers ever manufactured and they aren't making any more of them, so the prices keep going up as time goes on. Compare these to the junk MicroMark is selling for $165! Proportional Divider, scale drawing up or down, moveable pivot point adjusts ratio one end to the other (micromark.com)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yes, indeed. Proportional dividers are invaluable modeling tools. They are also very handy for scaling plans. Rather than worrying about getting copies that are accurate to a different scale, you can simply take up the measurement from the plan you have at whatever scale (or better yet, if you are an accuracy wonk, take the measurement indicated on the plan from a rule and then let your proportional dividers translate that to the scale you desire with exact accuracy. (Of course, alternately, the same can be accomplished with a regular divider and a scale rule.)
 
I'd urge anybody who is interested to spring the extra few bucks for the Keuffel and Essser Paragon (model) ten-inch rack and pinion decimally scaled proportional dividers, rather than the less expensive 6" or 7" proportional dividers. The rack and pinion 10" dividers are easy to set with a high degree of accuracy and are adjustable with Vernier adjustment to .001. The beauty of the decimal scaling is that you can accurately set the instrument for any proportion, expressed as a decimal equivalent. The less expensive models only give you proportional scaling of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on. (You can adjust them "manually" by setting the points to known measurements without regard to the scaling on the instrument.)
 
The 10" proportionally scaled dividers are also sold by other instrument makers, such a Post, Bowen, and Dietzgen. All of these are the same instrument made in the same German instrument factory and branded as required. the Keuffel and Esser Paragon models seem to bring a higher price on eBay because K&E is recognized as a top end marque (although they offered a wide range of quality at different price points.) A ten inch decimally scaled geared adjusting proportional dividers in decent shape can usually be had on eBay for less than $100. (Highly collectable "mint in the box" examples often sell for much more.)
 
An example sold by Post now listed on US eBay for $89.99:
 VINTAGE POST #931 10" PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER W/ ORIGINAL BOX GERMANY | eBay

 
An early Keuffel and Esser model listed for $109.99 Vintage K&E Paragon 10" Proportional Dividers Drafting Set Drawing Instruments | eBay
 

Very late production (1980's?) K&E in apparent mint condition asking $269.99 and will probably never see that. KEUFFEL & ESSER PARAGON UNIVERSAL PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER TOOL W/ CASE GERMANY | eBay The "end of an era" "Mark I" line of K&E instruments were of a lesser "fit and finish" than the earlier K&E "Paragon" line, which was their highest quality model line. Much of the older Paragon stock was packaged in "Mark 1" boxing, as is the case with this example. Still a fine example, but not as "elegant" as the earlier hand-fitted matched serial number instruments of the "Golden Age."

Later production K&E case with "cheat sheet" plate on bottom of case listing common settings and equivalents:

These price points may be a bit steep for some, I realize, but this instrument will last you for a lifetime and many more if given reasonable care. You will never wrestle with the math of calculating proportional measurements or dividing a line of a circle into any number of equal segments, plus loads of other stuff you'll probably never need or understand if you are mathematically challenged like I am. And you'll never have to fiddle with dead batteries! These are the finest and most versatile proportional dividers ever manufactured and they aren't making any more of them, so the prices keep going up as time goes on. Compare these to the junk MicroMark is selling for $165! Proportional Divider, scale drawing up or down, moveable pivot point adjusts ratio one end to the other (micromark.com)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yes, indeed. Proportional dividers are invaluable modeling tools. They are also very handy for scaling plans. Rather than worrying about getting copies that are accurate to a different scale, you can simply take up the measurement from the plan you have at whatever scale (or better yet, if you are an accuracy wonk, take the measurement indicated on the plan from a rule and then let your proportional dividers translate that to the scale you desire with exact accuracy. (Of course, alternately, the same can be accomplished with a regular divider and a scale rule.)
 
I'd urge anybody who is interested to spring the extra few bucks for the Keuffel and Essser Paragon (model) ten-inch rack and pinion decimally scaled proportional dividers, rather than the less expensive 6" or 7" proportional dividers. The rack and pinion 10" dividers are easy to set with a high degree of accuracy and are adjustable with Vernier adjustment to .001. The beauty of the decimal scaling is that you can accurately set the instrument for any proportion, expressed as a decimal equivalent. The less expensive models only give you proportional scaling of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on. (You can adjust them "manually" by setting the points to known measurements without regard to the scaling on the instrument.)
 
The 10" proportionally scaled dividers are also sold by other instrument makers, such a Post, Bowen, and Dietzgen. All of these are the same instrument made in the same German instrument factory and branded as required. the Keuffel and Esser Paragon models seem to bring a higher price on eBay because K&E is recognized as a top end marque (although they offered a wide range of quality at different price points.) A ten inch decimally scaled geared adjusting proportional dividers in decent shape can usually be had on eBay for less than $100. (Highly collectable "mint in the box" examples often sell for much more.)
 
An example sold by Post now listed on US eBay for $89.99:
 VINTAGE POST #931 10" PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER W/ ORIGINAL BOX GERMANY | eBay

 
An early Keuffel and Esser model listed for $109.99 Vintage K&E Paragon 10" Proportional Dividers Drafting Set Drawing Instruments | eBay
 

Very late production (1980's?) K&E in apparent mint condition asking $269.99 and will probably never see that. KEUFFEL & ESSER PARAGON UNIVERSAL PROPORTIONAL DIVIDER TOOL W/ CASE GERMANY | eBay The "end of an era" "Mark I" line of K&E instruments were of a lesser "fit and finish" than the earlier K&E "Paragon" line, which was their highest quality model line. Much of the older Paragon stock was packaged in "Mark 1" boxing, as is the case with this example. Still a fine example, but not as "elegant" as the earlier hand-fitted matched serial number instruments of the "Golden Age."

Later production K&E case with "cheat sheet" plate on bottom of case listing common settings and equivalents:

These price points may be a bit steep for some, I realize, but this instrument will last you for a lifetime and many more if given reasonable care. You will never wrestle with the math of calculating proportional measurements or dividing a line of a circle into any number of equal segments, plus loads of other stuff you'll probably never need or understand if you are mathematically challenged like I am. And you'll never have to fiddle with dead batteries! These are the finest and most versatile proportional dividers ever manufactured and they aren't making any more of them, so the prices keep going up as time goes on. Compare these to the junk MicroMark is selling for $165! Proportional Divider, scale drawing up or down, moveable pivot point adjusts ratio one end to the other (micromark.com)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

From the Blue Jacket Shipcrafters' post: 
Fine braided and twisted wire is readily available, although it may require a bit of toning down for modeling use. It would take a magician to turn in a Liverpool splice in 1 mm wire, but a socket terminal could certainly be fashioned from copper tubing and soldered on.
 
 
 
Here's a photo of Balclutha's wire cable standing rigging and turnbuckles. Her are simply doubled and seized as shown. Note the metal rod that runs through the top of all the metal thimbles which is intended to prevent the wire from untwisting under load. The turnbuckles are coated in painted canvas boots.
 

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

From the Blue Jacket Shipcrafters' post: 
Fine braided and twisted wire is readily available, although it may require a bit of toning down for modeling use. It would take a magician to turn in a Liverpool splice in 1 mm wire, but a socket terminal could certainly be fashioned from copper tubing and soldered on.
 
 
 
Here's a photo of Balclutha's wire cable standing rigging and turnbuckles. Her are simply doubled and seized as shown. Note the metal rod that runs through the top of all the metal thimbles which is intended to prevent the wire from untwisting under load. The turnbuckles are coated in painted canvas boots.
 

The Administrators may wish to add their trademark registration notation to their FaceBook page, as well.
 
Also, perhaps it's time to send Remco's Model Ship World FaceBook page a "cease and desist" letter. See: (1) Remco's Model Ship World | Facebook

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

As this thing bears little or no resemblance to an actual ship, it’s value as a ship model is $0.00 and any money spent restoring it will not increase its value.
 
It may have some value as an example of antique decor.  This question can best be answered by an antique dealer.  Likewise, restoring it is a job for an antique restorer, not a ship model maker.
 
Roger

Hello all- A belated reply to wood substitution in kits..For my Confederacy build, I used(forgive me for felony theft) Fresh Market coffee stirrers..collected enough to do the decks..alot of coffee..They are birch or beech and proper dimension ..I've found the quality of supplied basswood  not good for the  planking or decking..lots of fuzz and varying thicknesses. I  have a Byrnes saw and @1000 board feet of nice basswood ,so I cut my own. For anything black, I used Guitar neck ebony, which was difficult to deal with. I inherited a mahogany  log  six feet by three feet so I bucked that up and am using it  for captain's quarters, etc. I also scratchbuild and now I find joy in harvesting and experimenting with different woods.  We live in NY and FL, so I  have access to many types of wood.   Just don't go cutting down  a mahogany or  importing  some Gabon Ebony..it's frowned upon. Conversely, a trash tree in FL, malaluca (sic) makes for great framing,etc,cuts to a fine edge sands well and is very stable..  So at the end of the day, experiment and have fun!

The Administrators may wish to add their trademark registration notation to their FaceBook page, as well.
 
Also, perhaps it's time to send Remco's Model Ship World FaceBook page a "cease and desist" letter. See: (1) Remco's Model Ship World | Facebook

The Administrators may wish to add their trademark registration notation to their FaceBook page, as well.
 
Also, perhaps it's time to send Remco's Model Ship World FaceBook page a "cease and desist" letter. See: (1) Remco's Model Ship World | Facebook

While I'm no expert on period ordinance, I agree that there are questions that I'd certainly be expecting answered before I bought it. Consider the following:
 
If it is an "insurance cannon," of approximately 1780, how did they come to this conclusion? What was it doing in a river? What river and what was the archaeological context in which it was found. (A shipwreck or just alone in the mud? Etc.) I suppose if the river was freshwater, this cannon might show less deterioration than were it in saltwater for 250 years, but, based on the old iron cannon I've seen, I'd expect this one to show a lot more evidence of iron corrosion, even with state of the art conservation. The rusting (which accelerates rapidly once they are out of the water) can be stopped but not reversed. This cannon looks suspiciously well-preserved, but here again, I'm not an expert in conserving cannon.
 
If it is an "insurance cannon," it was present for "insurance purposes" and I doubt any insurer would have extended coverage to the vessel without a survey which would include confirming the required ordinance aboard, together with proper provision for the safe stowage of powder, competent crew to operate the piece, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the insurer would have required some identification data on the requisite cannon when the vessel survey was done, but it seems this cannon has no identifying markings at all.
 
I would presume that any ordinance barrel of that period would have been made by a competent cannon foundry, but during that period only certain barrels would have been proof-marked, primarily military ones and then only when placed in service. British tubes would certainly have carried the "Broad Arrow" together with other identifying marks. (American arms were, and still are, not required to be proofed, although many were and are.) This marking chart may, or may not, be helpful if there are any foundry markings on the piece: https://www.nramuseum.org/media/940944/proofmarks.pdf Foundry markings, as distinct by proofing-markings, have been somewhat standardized for centuries now. As you probably know, these marks will be found on the top of the breech, the face of the muzzle, and the faces of each trunion. I find it suspicious that this cannon carries no identifying markings at all. 
 
From the photo of the muzzle, it appears the barrel was sleeved, which is curious.  This is done to restore the usefulness of worn barrels or to strengthen old barrels for use with modern smokeless, rather than black powder. This could have been done at any point in the cannon's life, but it is interesting to note that the technology for boring cast cannon bores, which would have been a prerequisite to installing a sleeve, didn't come into existence until the late 1700's as the Industrial Revolution developed the technology to do it. It is possible that this cannon was cast modernly and sleeved when new. Some reproduction cast iron cannon sold today can be ordered sleeved to permit actual projectile firing. 
 
As I understand it, "insurance guns" were primarily mounted on wheeled carriages similar to mountain howitzer carriages so that they could be easily stowed and easily rolled to where they were to be used, being the only gun on deck. Some were also mounted as swivel guns. Most fired grapeshot, since that would be most effective against pirates approaching in small boats and the size of this cannon shot wouldn't do much of anything against the hull of a ship. (The merchantmen carrying the "insurance guns" were no match for any well-armed vessel.) The naval truck it is now on would not likely have been used because not only is it less easy to move and train, but also because it requires a gun stations with gun ports, and breeching rope and training tackles at each station, none of which are commonly found on merchantmen.
 
There are a number of retailers in the US and GB who make cast iron reproduction cannon very similar to this one. It may be that the story about it being found underwater and 250 years old is pure bunk, in which case, it would be a lot of fun to have and to fire if you have $2,500 you don't know what to do with. See: https://www.castcannons.co.uk/

I seriously doubt if anyone is going to become financially deprived by buying shellac vs WOP vs lacquer.
 
 I grew up well before we became conscious of environmental hazards of various finishing materials, manmade and otherwise.  My parent’s hobby farm featured a long white board fence and my sister and I were the fence painters, each armed with a bucket of white oil based paint and a large paint brush.  We got as much paint on ourselves as the fence.  I am, therefore, rather insensitive to smelly paints and varnishes in my shop, particularly in the small quantities that we use.
 
WOP, shellac, lacquer- all work.  It’s a matter of personal choice.
 
Roger