Le Clerc Bluenose II antique model with wooden sales

[Don Minn]

My first post, I inherited a LeClerc model, maybe 30 inches long, all wooden, painted, with wood for sale cloth. The rigging is partially intact, but needs a lot of TLC.

I'm curious if this model is at all valuable as I cannot find another E. LeClerc model with wooden sales anywhere online. I would also like to explore repairing the rigging to get to the original condition.

If there is a local club or organization that supports restoration and gives valuation of such models, I would like to get in touch with them.

[GuntherMT]

It might help if you want to get in touch with a local club, if you included your location!

[ccoyle]

Bateaux LeClerc is a defunct brand of model kits once manufactured in Canada. As far as I know, there is nothing notable about their kits to set them apart from others that date back to the same period. The state of kit manufacturing has come a long, long way since then.

[Don Minn]

On 2/12/2021 at 7:21 PM, ccoyle said:

Bateaux LeClerc is a defunct brand of model kits once manufactured in Canada. As far as I know, there is nothing notable about their kits to set them apart from others that date back to the same period. The state of kit manufacturing has come a long, long way since then.

 

[mtdoramike]

Chris is right, I have built a few Le Clerc Kits in my time and although great finds if kit collecting, but kits of today are a bit better, at least better fittings. I have sold one of these finished kits in the past and received $200.00 for one of them, the other I built as a gift for a friend. The difference between your model and the one I built were the sails. I used sail cloth and not wood. To me, your model is worth what someone is willing to pay you for it, which in my estimation would be a couple hundred dollars on a good day. To me, it makes a nice shelf queen especially with the wooden sails, which allow the sails to appeared billowed as if in full sail, which is very hard to achieve  with cloth sails.

 

If it were my model, I would restore it and charish it just due to the painstaking efforts that someone went through just on the wood sails alone. 

[Dominique Lapointe]

Eugene Leclerc's grandson is still in the business in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Your model is an authentic Eugene built around 1940-50, not from a kit. Only Eugene and his son Honoré made wooden sails until the 70'. They are rare and the most beautiful. I restore old Leclerc ships and yours is in very good condition. It seems only need sail rope reconstruction (in white). Mostly!!! Don't paint anything!!! It will lost his great historic value. Good luck!    

[Don Minn]

I found the paperwork for the Bluenose II ship model and I attached the picture of my original early post. This is a hand made sculpted ship crafted by artist Eugene LeClerc and signed by pinholling as are all his carvings. Purchased in August of 1956 and I have the signed receipt from the shop of Eugene LeClerc including the price and signature of Eugene LeClerc in pencil on the original shop form. I also have a 2008 estimate from a special museum appraiser in St-Jean Port-Jolie Quebec claiming the model required up to 3500 hours of labor, all done by hand and would fetch $15,000 to $18,000 Canadian for this fine example from an outstanding miniature boat maker.

I thought I should follow up on this post with more information, as the previous posts responding more reflected the shipping costs than the actual worth of the model ship. I am curious if this particular miniature has held its' value over time.

Thank you for your input, all. 

 

[Roger Pellett]

Since your model was purchased in 1954, it would be of the original Bluenose, not Bluenose II.  Bluenose II was not launched until 1964.

[Don Minn]

Thank you Roger, I stand corrected. Your observation was correct on the paperwork I further reviewed. I also found that the ship was done by LeClerc in 1927.

I would like to research a bit to find repairs available for the rigging and if there is a museum that would be interested in purchasing this piece of Canadian history. It is truly a collectors' item that should be available for more fans of the industry to see.

Thanks again all for your continued support. 

[Dominique Lapointe]

Hi Don! I am sorry to tell you that the evaluation made by the museum is excessive. At most, you can find old Leclerc at auction for around $2000 or little more but they are more detailed multi-matt versions (4 - 5 matts) of La Canadienne or Gaspe Trader. Bluenose rarely exceed $1000 in very good condition. A visit to auction sites like LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable.com can give you an idea. Dom.