USS Tennessee 1869 by Keith Black - scale 1:120 - Wood Hull Screw Frigate - ex Madawaska 1865

[BrianK]

Keith,

you have our thoughts and prayers and respects. The hobby and the Tennessee are patient. They will be there if you decide to call upon them to help you through this.

With all my regard,

BrianK

[My Fathers Son]

Keith, I have sat here hesitating over the keyboard at a loss of what to say that has not already been expressed, its just not supposed to happen in that order. We are built to accept the eventual loss of our parents, its an inevitable thing, but our children are supposed to outlive us. I had two brothers that passed before my mother and I watched a light go out of her eyes each time, so I do know your pain. 

 

We may all be at different corners of the globe but you must know that our thoughts and best wishes are with you. 

 

Simon

 

[Eric1]

I'm very sorry to hear about your son, I lost one of my boys at the age of 37 in an ATV accident, that was about 5 years ago and I still break down when I think  about him.

Eric

[FriedClams]

Keith, this is such heartbreaking news.  I am so sorry for your loss.  My heart goes out to you and your family. 

 

Gary

[Keith Black]

 I want to thank everyone for the condolences, the well wishes, and for reaching out to me privately. MSW stands for Model Ship World but for me, MSW also stands for 'my special world' and each of you mean so very much to me. You have helped me get through this, it gets a little easier with each passing day.

 

 Eric, my condolences to you and your family for the loss of your son. The pain never goes away, my heart goes out to you and I wish that in time your son's loss becomes bearable. 

 

 In the last couple of days I've briefly sat at my work table pushing blocks around that need to be stropped, thinking about the sequential steps required to complete the mainmast.

 

 I'll be back at it shortly. God bless each of you, thank you for your support.

[Deacon]

Very sorry to read of the loss of your son Keith. We're not supposed to outlive our children, it's against the laws of nature. The death of any loved one leaves us adrift. It's through the support of family and our extended family that we can get back on course and continue as our loved one would wish us to.

[mbp521]

2 hours ago, Keith Black said:

I'll be back at it shortly. God bless each of you, thank you for your support.

Keith, take all the time you need. We are here for you and you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

 

-Brian

[Glen McGuire]

3 hours ago, Keith Black said:

MSW stands for Model Ship World but for me, MSW also stands for 'my special world'

I love that!!  

[mtaylor]

MSW = My special world.    Nothing could be closer to the truth than that.   Take your time to breathe and cry if you need to.  

[KeithAug]

Dear Keith

 

I was just catching up but your devastating news has set me aback. I think your loss is something that few of us could contemplate and my heart goes out to you and your family. Any words that I can offer are probably of small comfort but at this time it is worth remembering that our departed loved ones do live on in our memories and hearts. Good be with you my friend.

 

With greatest sympathy.

 

Keith

[Keith Black]

  What an unbelievable piece this would be to add to the Tennessee. Unfortunately the asking price is too steep but golly it's way cool.  

 

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/275321765340?hash=item401a74bddc:g:3VYAAOSwTZFiirdd

[mbp521]

That would be an extremely nice addition, but you are correct sir, a tad bit too rich. 
 

-Brian

[mtaylor]

That would be a very special addition to your display Keith.  I admit I winced a lot when I saw the price.

[Glen McGuire]

That is a very interesting piece of history.  Where on the ship would a builder plate like that have been displayed?

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, Glen McGuire said:

Where on the ship would a builder plate like that have been

 Glen, it's off a forty gallon tank of some sort and could have been anyplace on the ship. Hot water tank, fresh water tank for cooking, drinking or a holding tank for the galley, offices wash rooms. whoever was making up these tags/plates must have made up about a quarter of a million dollars worth of em for all the tanks onboard. 

[BrianK]

Keith,

based on that ebay price for the name plate, can we extrapolate the value of the whole ship in today's dollars? 😃

BrianK

[FriedClams]

Hello Keith.  That is a cool name plate for sure, but the seller is dreaming and notice that it hasn't sold.  I would keep an eye on it.  When it doesn't sell, he may put it up for auction.  Never know.

 

Gary

[Keith Black]

22 minutes ago, FriedClams said:

cool name plate for sure, but the seller is dreaming

 

 Gary, I don't know? Considering market expectations the Madawaska piece it isn't really that far out of line. The below eBay link being a prime example. I know that it's for a total locomotive and not just a part of one but still......... If you search eBay for "builders plate" locomotive or ship you get some eye watering prices. Maybe I'm just a dinosaur out of touch with today's world. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/232924686557?hash=item363b64a8dd:g:x1oAAOSwGVJba4fP&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8CLdGfZQPQ7CNPs7qiVQsorLtBuvDJSI9TFNv2IJ5srA3a22ePWm4yj2hoqSkrf1DgZZ8TtCuCMfHh2SHEJ%2Bn2GVnIAoScXqZOkpRG%2B0cnIFi4AVNt9rnFo910RqXTuv6adS1ySNsCalMR7iQjycjiW3Dmp89o4x%2F9mBCmBqHawlYsPJLvV6Yu9NT6dMHC%2F57J6wwSZygNqIWJHnahy%2BOAmMQ9t%2Fj3WiXILKbl3UCXlEACrhpc2hJasQQSwgXAzI6pOjyhe4njKzcVaBzcTHIb02O8S6oyc%2Bo%2BLgV66qeWDND8o3yt5o4lQHlQF5V3jBvg%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBM1rL1paNg

 

 A little more reasonable whatever reasonable is. 

 

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/143618948360?hash=item21705b3d08:g:wocAAOSwazte0uyl

Edited May 31, 2022 by Keith Black

[FriedClams]

10 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

Considering market expectations the Madawaska piece it isn't really that far out of line. The below eBay link being a prime example. I know that it's for a total locomotive and not just a part of one but still......... If you search eBay for "builders plate" locomotive or ship you get some eye watering prices.

 

You are probably right Keith, I forget that many folks have a far greater discretionary income than I.  But I'm guessing that Baldwin Locomotive also has a much larger pool of potential buyers than Madawaska does.  Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to watch it.

 

Gary

 

[Glen McGuire]

Another dumb question from the rookie - do any modelers make builder's plates and put them on their model ship?  I don't think I've seen any in the build logs I've followed.

 

And before you suggest it Keith, nope, I'm not gonna put a fully engraved one that's half the size of a pinhead on my next SIB!

[Roger Pellett]

An interesting example of supply and demand as the plate has no intrinsic value. It’s only valuable as a collectible.

 

There must have been 100’s if not 1000’s of Baldwin steam locomotives built, but there is huge interest in railroad collecting; as part of the model railroading hobby and as a stand alone activity. 

 

On the other hand, there was only one USS Tennessee and to serious students of US Navy history she and her sisters were historically significant.  She was one of the attempts to build very high speed “commerce destroying cruisers” at the end of the Civil War.  She reflects the efforts of marine engineers to build high powered steam plants prior to invention of triple expansion engines and later, steam turbines.  She has associations with two important Nineteenth Century marine engineers; John Ericsson and Benjamin Isherwood.  There is little interest in the US Navy in the period between the end of the Civil War and the emergence of the Great White Fleet.

 

It would be interesting to know if the Baldwin Locomotive nameplate commands an $8000+ price vs the Tennessee nameplate a $2000+ price.

 

If I were you, I would monitor the EBay site.  You might be able to buy this later at a heavily discounted price.

 

Roger

[Keith Black]

3 hours ago, FriedClams said:

But I'm guessing that Baldwin Locomotive also has a much larger pool of potential buyers than Madawaska does.  Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to watch it.

Gary, I check on it about every three hours. 

 

2 hours ago, Glen McGuire said:

Another dumb question from the rookie - do any modelers make builder's plates and put them on their model ship?  I don't think I've seen any in the build logs I've followed.

 

And before you suggest it Keith, nope, I'm not gonna put a fully engraved one that's half the size of a pinhead on my next SIB!

 

 Glen, the only thing I've ever seen are brass plaques, never a builders plate and I'm not sure there was such a thing for a ship? Maybe Roger knows? 

 I have no idea why you would think I would suggest making a builder's plate for your SIB 

 

 

1 hour ago, Roger Pellett said:

f I were you, I would monitor the EBay site.  You might be able to buy this later at a heavily discounted price.

 Roger, I'm keeping a close eye on it but I don't want to reach out to the seller just yet. I'll give it another four or five days and then I'll message him and try to start a dialog. I've got some trade items that hopefully we might be able to come to agreement on. 

[mtaylor]

3 hours ago, Roger Pellett said:

An interesting example of supply and demand as the plate has no intrinsic value. It’s only valuable as a collectible.

 

There must have been 100’s if not 1000’s of Baldwin steam locomotives built, but there is huge interest in railroad collecting; as part of the model railroading hobby and as a stand alone activity. 

I agree on the intrinsic value.  While I suspect you are right about the numbers built, probably the name plates on most locomotives went to the scrap yard with the rest of the beast.  So rarity is probably a factor.

[Keith Black]

 The past couple of months seems much longer than a mere two months and have been surreal in so many ways. My sister and I just finished cleaning out my son's effects from a house she owned. Going through his possessions was very physically and mentally demanding. Discovering his "treasures" and uncovering those things we thought he should have found important but didn't was difficult for us both. It's made me feel the need to go through all my things and put my possessions in order pitching the "why am I still hanging on to this" in the bin! 

 

 The house has sold, that chapter is now closed.  

 

 On a lighter note and speaking of possessions, the seller of the Madawaska 40 gallon tank tag and I have successfully negotiated a price. It wasn't an arm and leg but I do feel somewhat bruised. But having something to add with the model that was actually onboard the actual ship.......priceless. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275321765340?hash=item401a74bddc&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8MIUG%2Ffuf4OsaVsGCXPdn%2F6JZJG9gFwTVYzLb1yWyYpinbbyp3rwrqrOZm4P6TnmTw0%2B17o4nOx6Gu6iggZodl3Kn1IR9oDxoQwIhM5OeTN937QGQL064%2FzF5jWCbQavEP5F%2FKSoc1Ym0sCNEInqs1CisI6mI8QjoMmvM%2FAtTefk90N4K0GllSeBDMW1gMgizVYTa7h5nHlfu5zZxSgFHNyLS8LOfpy9tc30H5mn%2FEneOtyaH9qExoJ1pj2oXnwQLpvEeN99btqkn2XZk61n5S10tJy80tEGK3bBISdorjGc3DQdt9WZqQlviurOzhzF5g%3D%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK&autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=Krr0OP4qqMAV6BuQ0RN8jE3Zhlk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 Thank you to all for allowing me to share my victories and defeats. God bless each of you. 

[Dave_E]

Hi Keith,

 

There are seasons for everything, we’re all going to have them. Our faith, family and friends help us get through the rough ones. Blessings on you for allowing your MSW “family” to be there with you during this season. 🙏👍😊

[Glen McGuire]

Keith - Very few of us can even begin to imagine the pain and heartbreak that you have endured over the past couple of months as well as the difficulty of doing those things that have to be done in the aftermath.  As Dave said above, all of us in your MSW family are with you and hoping to do what we can with our blessings and prayers.  

[mbp521]

Keith, 

 

So glad you made it through the rough patch and were able to close that chapter. God has a plan for us all, and he doesn’t task us with anything that he doesn’t feel we can t handle. 
 

Funny, I was just going to through some of my old junk the other day and saying to myself why in the world was I keeping this. One example of the useless stuff that I had was an old receipt from Model Expo back in 1984 for a model purchase. Not sure why I was hanging on to it, but I had it. 
 

The Madawaska tag will be an excellent addition to the build, and glad the seller was willing to negotiate. I’ve had several instances of Ebay auctions where the seller had OBO on it, but wouldn’t budge on the price. Seriously what’s the point in putting OBO if you aren’t willing to work on the price? Hopefully this one didn’t take too much of a bite out of the budget. 

Stay strong my friend, we got your back if you need anything. 
 

-Brian

[Roger Pellett]

I generally don’t like to see religious doctrine on non related subjects, but I believe this could apply to any religious belief, and I find these words comforting and timely:

 

”For everything there is a season and a time and purpose unto heaven........”

 

Good to see you back, and am glad that you were able to buy the water tank plate.  Yes, I believe that builders plates were included on ships.

 

Roger

 

 

[mtaylor]

Keith, good to see you back.  I'm sorry about the rough time as they're hell go through but once through them, we've gained something.  We may just not know what it is.  

 

That's good news on the builder's plate and will make a great addition to the model display.  

[KeithAug]

Hello Keith - good to hear from you again. I had a can of emulsion paint for abut 20 years. I picked it up the other day and the bottom fell out. I now have a pair of delightful lilac trainers.😀