Materials and finishes used on 1920s era ship models - research or experience

[Amy]

Hello,

 

I work for a maritime museum in Australia and we recently acquired a large builders model of a passenger liner, which was fabricated by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd in Barrow-in-Furness in the UK in the late 1920s.

 

We are curious about the materials and finishes used on this model and hope to learn more prior to undertaking any testing conservation treatment. I was wondering if you might be aware of any resources available on this topic? Or do you have any personal experience researching or repairing 1920s era models?

 

I understand that this is a very knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic community, so I would greatly appreciate any insight you may be able to share on this topic!

 

Thank you in advance and kind regards,

 

Amy

[mgdawson]

Hi Amy

 

Can't help you myself but I'd suggest you contact the Sydney Heritage Fleet and ask them to put you in contact with Peter Hughes who co-ordinates the model workshop, they've restored a lot of models and may have done some from that period.

 

BTW Which museum are you with ?

 

Mark

[druxey]

In the 1920's, fish and animal based glues were common. Builders' models used various species of pine for the hulls, usually of hollow laminated form. Details were fabricated from brass (often electroplated) and so-called Bermuda boxwood (Castello) or European box. Paints were solvent-based and lacquer and shellac often used for finishes.

 

I'm curious as to the state of the model that you are looking to conserve. Are you able to give more details or photos?

[Roger Pellett]

A year or so, forum member and master modeler Michael Mott posted a series of Blogs about his restoration of one of these Shipbuilder Models.  I don’t remember the name of the ship but you should find this on the forum.  He did a wonderful job that included matching old finishes.

 

Prewar modelers sometimes mixed their own paints from “Japan Colors.”  Volume I of the NRJ’s. Ship Modeler’s Shop Notes includes instructions for mixing these colors.  Forum member Bob Cleek has also posted about using Japan Colors.

 

Roger

[druxey]

The model in question was Albertic, and Michael did an excellent job.

[Tony Hunt]

Lots of Australian members here Amy (including me!), I'm sure we'd all be interested to hear a bit more about this project!

 

[wefalck]

It would be difficult to know what materials and techniques the Vickers-Armstrong model-workshop used, if the model was actually made in-house and not contracted out to professional modell-building workshop.

 

However, I would first consult textbooks on paints and paintfinished published around that time. They give recipes, list raw materials and application techniques. Raw materials at these times often went by 'common' names and 'trivial' names for chemical compounds that sometimes are not so easy to identify today. However, there are encyclpedias/dictionaries that explain these to the interested public or the commercial people of the time. Such books can be now downloaded from the Internet in many cases. I am not so acquainted with the English-language literature on this subject, so I cannot point to specific works.

 

This is a time, when people began to experiment more frequently with man-made materials ('plastics' in the widest sense) and this can occur as construction materials and as binders in paints as well. However, these 'plastics' were not normally derived from mineral oil, but rather from organic raw materials. Celluloid and bakelite come to mind, as examples, but there are also casein-based raw materials.

 

The post WWI period also has seen an increasing use of synthetic dyes and pigments in addition to the traditional mineral and organic ones.

 

There is also an abundant literature on conservation and restoration issues and techniques, either in the form of textbooks or scientific articles in journals or as contributions to symposia etc. Certain individuals or museums have specialised in particular aspects, such as metal or wood conservation, or paint restoration. Obviously, the big maritime and technical museums around the world face the same problems and might be prepared to provide advice or can at least direct you to the right sources of information.

[shipman]

From what I've seen over the years, the Basset-Lowke models were so inferior to the genuine in house builders models.

Do you have photo's Amy?

[Bob Cleek]

7 hours ago, shipman said:

From what I've seen over the years, the Basset-Lowke models were so inferior to the genuine in house builders models.

Do you have photo's Amy?

I don't know about Basset-Lowke models, but Vickers has had some problems building full-sized submarines.

 

From their Wikipedia page: "In 1988, a mistake by senior management and changing shipbuilding methods meant that the Vickers shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness accidentally welded part of HMS Triumph (a nuclear submarine) in an upside-down position."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Shipbuilding_and_Engineering