Carving from Belgorod

[HAIIAPHNK]

6 hours ago, empathry said:

... and in such a case, why not set the entire ship model on fire and analyse the wave lenght(s) emitted by its raw products through a spectrometer ? 

The customs would get from its ashes all the requested (legal) answers !  

Are we turning to Ray Bradbury Farenheit 451 ?

Will books be burnt ?

Will art be burnt ?

We'll ourselves be burnt and euthanized (... obviously for "our" security) in order to fertilize this planet ? 

 

Oh! We are now very close to a difficult place. I would not like disputes to arise between opponents and supporters of the use of bone.
There can be many different opinions here. And each side will be right.

[HAIIAPHNK]

After work on Fulminant was discontinued, I had more time. And I returned to my lion project. During this time, I managed to finish two lion figures. And first, I will show you the Turkish lion.
In fact, it took a very long time to complete. I started it more than two years ago. And work on it was put on hold. Only now has it been completed. I finished everything I wanted to do. Well, not everything; there are still some issues left. But more on that later.

I didn't take any photos while I was working on it. There's nothing new here, and I don't see the point in photographing something I've already shown many times. So, there will only be photos of the finished sculpture.

I am very happy that I was able to make a Turkish lion for the lion collection. Very often you can see different styles. The vast majority are either European or American ships. But I don't know any Asian ones at all. Although Turkey is a country with a long maritime tradition. But I don't know much about it. The only memories I have are childhood impressions from Sabatini's books. In one of them, the main character was enslaved on a Turkish galley. But, of course, as befits the main character, he managed to escape and embark on adventures. 

 

I also remember descriptions of some battles from the Russo-Turkish wars. But that's all about events. I had no idea what Turkish ships actually looked like. That means I had never encountered Turkish decor. I know that religious laws prohibit painting or sculpting people, and the main method of decoration is patterns, intertwining geometric or plant elements. So, getting to know the ships of this country was a revelation for me. As it turned out, the maritime museum in Istanbul is very diverse and rich. There was a lion figure there that I couldn't pass by. 
What was especially valuable was that it wasn't just a small figure on a model ship or a drawing, it was a life-size sculpture. So there was a lot for me to look at there. The plasticity of the body, the style. How exactly the carver depicted the mane and fur. 

 

 

 

 

 You can see for yourself how different this lion is from the other European lions in my collection. Compared to Swedish, British, or Russian lions, the Turkish lion is closer to a real predator. In other countries, lions were depicted as strange monsters. Here, with the exception of a few minor details, the body structure is very accurate. The explanation for this is quite simple. Most likely, lions were not exotic animals in Turkey. They were probably brought from Africa and kept in private menageries by local rulers or wealthy nobles. 

In Europe, it was much more complicated. People there simply did not know what a real Simba looked like. Keeping one was not easy. More often than not, lions could be seen as skins on the wall or stuffed animals.

 

 

 

 

 

That is why there is such a big difference in how artists imagined the king of beasts. Well, the second reason why the Turkish lion looks more like a real one than the others is that the Turkish lion represents a different era. 

 

 

 

It was created much later than its northern counterparts in the collection. That's the whole reason. Ideally, I would have liked to find a more ancient reference for the Turkish lion. But I simply couldn't find one. 

 

 

 

[HAIIAPHNK]

Well, now I can show you what I've come up with.

This is what my Turkish lion figure looks like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't yet decided whether this will be the final look or if I will work on it some more. You can see that the museum reference has gilding. Maybe I will do the same with my sculpture. But I'm not sure. I don't know if it's worth doing. I will come back to this question later, when the whole company is assembled. I will lay out all the lions and think about how they will stand on their exhibition pedestals. Should I leave them all wooden, or should I add paint, gilding, or something else to some of them? For now, at this stage, I consider the work on the Turkish lion to be complete. 

[HAIIAPHNK]

Chewed mole.

There is such an expression in Russian. I don't know where it came from, and I don't know its true meaning 100 percent. I've never thought about it, and I can't say that I use it often in my speech. I just know it from somewhere, that's all. Most likely, this strange combination of words appeared as a substitute. There is a swear word that sounds like this very mole that someone chewed. That is, in order not to say the swear word, for example, if there are ladies or children nearby, someone came up with a strange but legal phrase. Those who are familiar with the swear word will understand what is actually being said here. But innocent children will only hear a funny combination of words. But this is just my guess, I don't know the exact explanation. 
This phrase is usually uttered when something breaks, gets damaged, or doesn't work out. It's an outburst of pent-up emotions. I'm sure there's something similar in every language. People are the same, and when something doesn't go as planned, they just want to swear.
But why did I start this story with a mole? It's simple: I often remembered this phrase while working on my next lion. But first things first.

This story is about a Spanish lion. As usual, I first had to find a suitable reference. That wasn't a problem. There are plenty of lions from Spain. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent more time thinking about which one to choose. And just before I started working, I suddenly saw this photo by chance. It immediately caught my attention. I started looking for information about where this photo was taken. In which museum? 

 

 

 

 

Soon I had other photos with this lion. I realized that I wanted to make this one. And so the work began.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then that same chewed-up mole started to appear somewhere nearby. I decided to make this lion from a small apple tree log. I had worked with this log before. I used part of it to make the “Brit.” And then everything was fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But now the wood was tormenting me. It was very difficult to cut and process. In some places, the material was loose, and in others, the cut turned out as if I were not working with a sharp knife, but tearing with my teeth. 
While I was doing the rough work, I didn't pay attention to it. Movements during this stage of work do not have to be very precise. You just need to cut away a lot of excess material. Untidy marks are quite normal here. But when it came to more precise movements, the wood began to surprise me. I can cut the wood and everything cuts perfectly, but after a couple of centimeters, everything starts to change dramatically. Then you can only cut in one direction, then in the opposite direction. The material crumples, then tears. And then everything becomes quite acceptable again and cuts perfectly.

And every time I huffed and puffed, called the lion a mole, and wondered whether I should continue carving. Maybe I should throw away this damn piece of wood, take another blank, and start all over again. And every time I came to the same decision. No, I'll give this blank another chance. I've already wasted a lot of nerves and time on it. But now I've managed to make the difficult part look less like someone actually chewed on it and spit it out. I've achieved a result that doesn't look too awful anymore. After all, I've already carved another lion from this piece of wood. And everything was fine. I hope my torment will end here and everything will be easier from now on.
And guess what happened next? Next, I remembered the mole again, got angry and tormented myself. And again I thought that maybe it wasn't too late to start all over again. And every time I thought about it, I found more and more reasons to convince myself to continue tormenting myself.

Look, you've already done the head, it was difficult, but now you like it... 
Come on, you've already done the head and the mane. Don't you feel sorry for the time you've spent? 
Look, you've already done more than half the work, you didn't just suffer, you also showed tremendous patience. Come on, gather your strength, this nasty piece of wood must not win, it must not break you.
So I kept working. In the end, the Spanish lion wasn't abandoned. I showed patience. Or maybe stubbornness. Or maybe it wasn't patience at all, but laziness. Laziness to start all the work over again. All of this is equally true.

 

 

In the end, I would describe the path I decided to follow as negative rather than positive. Yes, I can call myself persistent. I can think about the fact that I was able to complete the work with capricious material. Can this be called a victory? Yes, it can.
But in reality, no. Because of my attitude, I spent a lot of time on this sculpture. The work progressed slowly. I often put everything aside. Perhaps if I had taken a higher quality blank, I could have made not one figure, but two or three in the same amount of time.
Every time I returned to work, I was not driven by a sense of pleasure. Not by sweet thoughts that I would be doing what I love. But by the fact that it would spoil my mood again. And I would do it only to get it over with as soon as possible.
Yes, I was able to smooth out the difficult spots, and if I hadn't talked about my adventures, no one would have known about it. And no one would have found those spots. But still, I only did it so that the rough and poor-quality areas wouldn't be noticeable. I couldn't do everything the way I wanted to. I wanted to get a different mane. On my lion, it's not the same as on the original. And that's the downside of my decision, my laziness. 
Most likely, I will continue to tremble with excitement for a long time when I look at this sculpture. For me, it will remain Zhevanny Krot. I remember other sculptures. What I achieved with them. And now there will be an outcast.

 

 

[HAIIAPHNK]

Now it's time to show the photos. I didn't take any photos along the way. Only the final ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This story turned out to be emotional. Even tearful. Was there any point in writing about it? Maybe I should have just shown the photos and left it at that. But there are practical lessons to be learned from this story. I heard this phrase: Sometimes you need to stop and think, am I doing something stupid?
I don't remember where I heard it. It sounds like something psychological. It could have been said somewhere in a movie or a motivational speech.
This saying also applies to this case. Maybe it's worth stopping and starting all over again. That's what I should have done.

 

--------

 

I was already thinking of stopping there. But just before publishing the article, I decided to add a few more words. There have been many moments in my life when I failed at something. And then my mood would also be ruined. For example, I'm terrible at ironing clothes. I hate doing it, no matter how hard I try, after I iron them, they look even worse. I am completely unable to plaster walls. When I was building my house, this stage drove me crazy. What could be so difficult about it? Just take the plaster and smear it on the walls. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the walls to be nice and smooth. There are many other similar examples. And many times I abandoned other “chewed-up moles.” I put them aside and thought that later I would return to this task and do everything right. But that was the end of it. I didn't start over. I didn't redo it. 

There are many such abandoned, unfinished projects.
From this point of view, the Spanish lion can be seen as a victory. One way or another, this project has been brought to completion. And that's what matters! There are moments in life when a problematic story no longer seems tragic after some time has passed. And you can tell jokes about how you crashed your car, lost your wallet, or fell into a puddle.
So be it. And then I will point to my lions and say: 
I called this one Gustav, and that one Peter. And this one, with a sly smile, is Chewed Mole. And then they will surely ask me why a mole, and a chewed one at that?
 And then I will say:
It's too long to explain. Believe me, he is the real Chewed Mole. No other nickname would suit him...

[Keith Black]

 Beautiful work, just lovely. Congratulations!

[HAIIAPHNK]

2 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 Beautiful work, just lovely. Congratulations!

 

Thank you for your assessment of my work.

[Ronald-V]

Masterful 🙏

[wefalck]

Looks like a very modern lion - on an electrical scooter  😁

[druxey]

For a chewed mole, he looks very good! Well done. (We are always our own worst critic.)

Edited October 29, 2025 by druxey

[HAIIAPHNK]

12 hours ago, wefalck said:

Looks like a very modern lion - on an electrical scooter  😁

I hadn't thought about it. But now I can't look at him without that image in my mind. He really is riding somewhere on an electric scooter. Or roller skates. 
😄

[HAIIAPHNK]

10 hours ago, druxey said:

For a chewed mole, he looks very good! Well done. (We are always our own worst critic.)

 

Hello, David. 
You're right, we are indeed the first in line to criticize our own work. And that's normal, as long as it doesn't turn into complexes. The truth is, we also have an enthusiastic fan of our own creations inside us, who craves recognition from others. So there's almost always a battle going on inside between the critic and the fan. Sometimes their arguments even keep us awake at night. 

[HAIIAPHNK]

I decided to publish another story related to carving. I like it when it is not just a description of a process, but a story. That makes it more interesting for me both to read and to write.

The longer you work in one particular field, the more standardized it becomes. The first time, there are still searches, mistakes, first impressions. But with each new project, there are fewer and fewer such discoveries. You do what you have already done before, you know in advance what the result will be. And describing something like that is not so interesting. In this sense, a first experience is much more vivid material for publication.
And now I have once again gone through this most interesting stage. I am again doing something for the first time. Again the emotions are sharper. And again I want to share something that is, for me personally, a premiere. So what follows will be a long story about another one of my projects.

It is hard to pinpoint the beginning of this story. A very long time ago, I decided to take part in the University Cup. This is an exhibition-competition held in Russia, in Saint Petersburg. It is one of the events in the country where modelers gather and display their work. And in 2014, I decided to go to this championship and bring my works there. At that time, I had already been engaged in ship model carving for some time. I carved some pieces for my own pleasure, and made others to order for fellow modelers.
 

At that moment, I did not have many finished sculptures on hand. Each new piece was shipped to its customer immediately after completion. But even the few sculptures that I planned to bring to the competition needed to be displayed somehow. The figures were small and fragile. It was necessary to ensure both good visibility and their safety. So I made a small display case for them. It turned out to be an interesting project. I still remember with pleasure both working on the case, inventing its design, and later seeing it standing on a shelf at home. Using a small handle, which I made in the form of a spire, it was possible to manually rotate the figures inside the display case and examine them from any angle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then my move to another country happened. A great deal of my belongings remained back home. I was unable to transport my tools, my ship models, or my library to the new place. The only things I took with me were my sculptures and my carving chisels. Naturally, I simply removed the sculptures from the display case and carefully packed them into a small box. By the time of the move, several more figures had been added to those that had participated in the University Cup. The move itself took place in 2017.

 

 

 

 

And then one day—quite recently, I think it was this autumn—some acquaintances came to visit me. The conversation at the table turned to ship models and my carving, and I went into the room, took out that very box, and began showing my figures. I took them out one by one, arranging them on the table. The guests looked at them, picked them up, asked questions, or shared their opinions. And at that moment I suddenly thought about the fact that I have been living in this new place for almost 10 years now. And all this time my works have been lying in the same box in which they traveled here. Nothing has changed during this time. There were many thoughts. That I myself would like to periodically see my works just by walking through the room, rather than only taking them out of their packaging on some special occasions. I thought about how I worry every time I hold small details in my hands, or when someone else turns them over while examining them. I am afraid that a figure might fall and be damaged. And there are already places that have suffered during the time spent in the box. There are already broken fragments.

 

Yes! I urgently need to think about a new display case. And finally place my figures where I would like to see them. In a place of honor, in a new display case.

But this thought immediately led to another.
Today, a different display case is needed. There is no point in repeating the old one. Now I need to accommodate more sculptures. And I want to come up with something new, rather than simply repeating what I have already done. This is how the ideas began to transform.

 

But what does the topic of a display case have to do with a story about carving? After all, these are different subjects. Yes, that is correct. All of this is merely a long preface. The real beginning is still ahead.

[HAIIAPHNK]

When I look through all my figures, I inevitably stop each time at this one. It differs quite noticeably from the rest. It is white. And today I will take your attention to tell the story of this particular work of mine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sculpture of Mercury ended up in my collection unintentionally. At one time, it was a commissioned piece. It was a figurehead for the Russian brig Mercury. A little later, I will pay more detailed attention to this ship, as it will be useful for the flow and understanding of the entire story of the current project. For now, I will mention only what relates directly to this figure. Why and how did a commissioned work end up staying with me?

 

In the original drawings that formed the basis of the work, the figure was supposed to be mounted on the beakhead so that its upper edges were roughly at the level of Mercury’s chest. Approximately like this:

 

 

 

 

And I carved the figure exactly according to these plans. But in the end, the deep cutout looked very unattractive. The eye was drawn to it first and foremost. So it was decided to make changes. To do it in such a way that there would be no cutouts visible from the front of the sculpture, and the figure would be mounted using a slot on the back.

 

At first, I tried to make an insert or plug for the sculpture to close the hole in the chest. But this insert was still noticeable. In the end, I began carving a new sculpture. And the original Mercury figure remained with me.
When the commission was completed and the second attempt was sent to the client, I began thinking about what to do with the defective sculpture. Its entire defect consisted only of the visible insert. In all other respects, I personally liked it. And I did not throw it away. I decided to try something new for myself. The original sculpture on that brig was certainly not bare wood. That is, it was not left uncoated, like wood. Like all other sculptures, it was painted. So why not paint it as well? The paint would hide the plug. And what more was needed? And that is exactly what I did. However, the result did not satisfy me. The white figure began to resemble a plastic toy soldier. There was a complete feeling that it was not hand carving, but a stamped mass-produced item. So I began experimenting with wear and abrasions, to give it a more weathered appearance, and, most importantly, to allow the wood to show through in the worn areas. I will not go deeper here into descriptions of what was going on in my head, or what ideas I had. I did not bring them to completion. And this topic will also be described separately. But not now. For now, I will simply say that I tried repainting it several times, but I was never satisfied with the result. Finally, I simply set the figure aside, without finishing it.

 

And now, when I started thinking about the display case, I returned to Mercury once again. It needs to be brought to its final state, and only after that will it be clear whether this little sculpture will take its place among the others in the display case or not.

And here another turn in my story will take place. But that will be in the next post.

[Beckmann]

Hi Alexandr,

you made wonderful carvings, really admirable. Concerning the display case, my opinion is, it should be very light. And not too much wood, because otherwise, the carvings vanish visually, if there is too much similar material around them.

Here you can see, what I mean.

Matthias 

Edited December 26, 2025 by Beckmann

[HAIIAPHNK]

2 hours ago, Beckmann said:

Hi Alexandr,

you made wonderful carvings, really admirable. Concerning the display case, my opinion is, it should be very light. And not too much wood, because otherwise, the carvings vanish visually, if there is too much similar material around them.

 

Hello, Matthias.

Thank you for your high praise of my work.

I completely agree with you about the display case. I also believe that the case should be as inconspicuous as possible and not distract attention from what is on display inside it.

[HAIIAPHNK]

Reflections on Mercury, like dominoes in a falling chain, touched on another subject. But before I talk about it, I need to shower you with a bit of historical background.

 

The thing is that the brig Mercury is a landmark ship in the Russian-speaking ship-modeling community. No, that is not quite right. This ship occupies a completely special place in the history of the Russian Navy. It is one of only two ships in the entire history of the Russian fleet that were awarded the highest and most honorable distinction for combat merit.

 

This was a special award. It was not bestowed upon a specific person—not a talented captain, and not the crew—but upon the ship itself. The honor consisted in the ship being granted the right to fly the St. George’s ensign at the stern. No other vessel was permitted to hoist the same flag.

I will briefly recount the feat of Mercury.

The events took place during the Russo–Turkish War of 1828–1829. On May 26 (14), 1829, the 18-gun brig, while on patrol cruising duty, emerged in the morning fog directly in front of a Turkish squadron, at first mistaking it for friendly ships. When it became clear that the squadron was hostile, the brig turned onto a reverse course. The situation looked hopeless: opposing an entire squadron was simply impossible.

The Turks, for their part, decided that the outcome was already sealed. Two large ships were sent in pursuit of the Russian brig: the 110-gun ship of the line Selimiye, carrying the admiral of the Turkish fleet, and the 74-gun Real-Bey. Their aim was to squeeze the brig from both sides and force her to surrender. However, Mercury had no intention of capitulating. The crew firmly resolved to fight. And already the first stages of the chase and the exchange of fire showed that the situation was far from as clear-cut as it had seemed at first.

 

 

 

The Turkish ships began to suffer numerous damages, and soon the flagship ship of the line abandoned the pursuit, followed later by Real-Bey.

There were several reasons for this. First and foremost, the bold conduct of the crew and competent tactics.

 

 

 

 

The brig maneuvered skillfully, using both sails and oars. A small, low-sided ship alongside the large enemy ships of the line unexpectedly found itself in an advantageous position. Mercury’s hull lay below the level of the Turkish ships’ gun ports. In some sources I have read that the brig tried to keep as close as possible to one of the enemy ships. This almost completely deprived that ship of the ability to depress its guns and deliver effective fire against the hull. The second Turkish ship, running on a parallel course, formally had a more favorable position, but it too was constrained: immediately behind the brig rose the side of its own consort.

 

Mercury, meanwhile, adhered to a clear and deliberate tactic—she directed her fire at the enemy’s rigging. As a result, the masts of both Turkish ships were badly damaged, and yards with sails were shot away. Selimiye suffered especially heavy damage: during the fight, one of the forward stays holding the mast was almost completely shot through. This created a real threat to the stability of the standing rigging and, if events had continued, to the loss of masts altogether—making any further pursuit extremely dangerous.

 

 

Yet it was precisely the loss of speed that proved far more painful for the larger ships. Mercury, as I have already mentioned, actively used oars, whereas ships of the line had no such option. In the diary of Mercury’s captain, Alexander Kazarsky, it is recorded that the Turks attempted one last argument to intimidate the Russians: from the flagship they threatened to board if the brig did not surrender. The reply sent from Mercury was that if the Turks attempted boarding, the crew would blow up the powder magazine. Everyone would perish.

 

Of course, it would be foolish to claim that Mercury emerged from the battle unscathed. The Turks inflicted plenty of damage as well. However, the overwhelming majority of hits struck the sails and rigging—148 hits in total—and only 23 hit the hull. On the one hand, this indicates that it was genuinely difficult for the enemy to conduct accurate fire against the hull of such a small vessel. On the other hand, it may also point to a desire not to sink the brig, but to capture her. Accordingly, the main effort was focused on immobilizing the ship.

 

 

 

 

In the end, the Turks abandoned the pursuit, and the brig successfully returned to Sevastopol. This feat was marked in a special way and entered history forever. I have described everything very briefly, without details, leaving much outside the frame.

 

 

 

 

 

Why did I tell this story at all? There are several reasons. First, I plan to work further on the figure of Mercury, and my actions will be directly connected with this narrative. Understanding my intentions will be much easier if one already knows what kind of sculpture it is, which ship it is associated with, and what place that ship occupies in history.

 

Second, another thought arises. If I intend to place the figure of Mercury in the display case alongside other sculptures, a certain dissonance appears. Mercury will be painted, whereas the other figures are executed in a classic, purely wooden style. This means that the single painted sculpture requires some visual support. It is logical to make at least one more figure with some kind of colored finish.

 

And if next to Mercury—a ship that received special honors—there appears a second sculpture, then it is more than logical for it to represent the other ship that had the right to fly the St. George’s ensign. The solution presented itself naturally: I urgently need to find information and create a second figure to pair with Mercury.

 

Now I have finally finished this long introduction and made clear what kind of project it is that has excited me so much.

 

Next, I will talk about the long road toward creating a sculpture from the Russian ship of the line Azov. This ship is another vessel of special importance in the history of the Russian fleet. Moreover, Azov was the first ship to be granted such an honor. Mercury was the second.

 

 

[Beckmann]

Hi Alexandr ,

A very interesting story! I don't know anything about the Russland navy, so thank you for this introduction. I am looking forward to your next project. Maybe you can show the process?

I am making carvings myself, so that would be interesting.

Matthias 

[HAIIAPHNK]

2 hours ago, Beckmann said:

Hi Alexandr ,

A very interesting story! I don't know anything about the Russland navy, so thank you for this introduction. I am looking forward to your next project. Maybe you can show the process?

I am making carvings myself, so that would be interesting.

Matthias 

 

Hello, Matthias.

I am glad that you discovered something new for yourself and that you found the story interesting to read. I also have a strong interest in history—not only maritime history, and not only Russian history. I find it especially engaging to compare how similar problems were solved in different countries: how geography shapes people and their way of life, and how contact with other cultures influences societies. It is all very fascinating.
 

Of course, I do not intend to limit myself to posts with historical facts only. In this particular case, the external appearance of the sculpture is closely connected with historical events, which is why I am focusing on this aspect now. Later on, I will also show the work process on this sculpture. For me personally, this project involved many things I had never done before, and I am genuinely interested in how each individual stage of the work unfolds. So there will be many posts about the process.
 

P.S. If you liked what you have read here, you might also be interested in looking through and reading about my previous projects. Here I try to show almost all of my work and write in detail about both successes and mistakes in my work—perhaps even in too much detail.
 

P.P.S. You can even see my work in person. We are only about a 4–5 hour drive apart (approximately). I would be very interested in talking with colleagues, hearing other opinions and advice, and perhaps being useful in some way myself. So please consider this an official invitation. If you decide to come, write to me and we can arrange a meeting.

[Beckmann]

Hi Alexandr ,

Thank you for your answer and the invitation. You might be interested in the upcoming 4th International Ship Model Building Days at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg on 10 and 11 October 2026. You could consider coming there. I will be there and many other interesting modelshipbuilder from all over the world as well. 

By the way, do you know the fantastic figureheads at Karlskrona, carved by Johan Törnström in the 18th century? They have got a Mercury there as well.

Matthias 

Edited December 29, 2025 by Beckmann

[HAIIAPHNK]

3 hours ago, Beckmann said:

Hi Alexandr ,

Thank you for your answer and the invitation. You might be interested in the upcoming 4th International Ship Model Building Days at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg on 10 and 11 October 2026. You could consider coming there. I will be there and many other interesting modelshipbuilder from all over the world as well. 

By the way, do you know the fantastic figureheads at Karlskrona, carved by Johan Törnström in the 18th century? They have got a Mercury there as well.

 

What news! I had no idea about the exhibition in Hamburg. I really love this museum—I have been there twice, and I keep wanting to visit it again and again. And now there is such a wonderful reason to do so. I will definitely mark the dates in my calendar and discuss it with my wife so that we can visit the exhibition together.

Did I understand correctly that this is an open exhibition? Is it possible to take part in it? And if so, what is required for participation? At the moment, I do not have any large-scale works available, but I would try to prepare what I have for the opening. There is enough time until autumn.

Of course, I am familiar with this sculpture. However, in my library I only have the well-known museum photographs that are often found online. Your photograph is of exceptionally high quality. It is a true treasure.

 

 

 

[Beckmann]

 Hi Alexandr ,

 

This is the official invitation text:

 

4th International Ship Model Building Days at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg on 10 and 11 October 2026

 

 

 

We are pleased to announce that the International Ship Model Building Days will be held again next year at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg (IMMH) on 10 and 11 October 2026. The event, which has become a fixture in the museum's calendar, will take place for the fourth time next year. The set-up day is Friday, 9 October 2026.

 

The International Ship Model Building Days are an excellent opportunity for ship model builders of all disciplines to showcase their models and exchange ideas in the historic rooms of the IMMH in Kaispeicher B on Koreastraße, in the heart of Speicherstadt and Hafencity. At the last exhibition in September 2024, around 45 exhibitors from several European countries came together and displayed around 1,000 ship models. Models from all areas of ship model building were on display. The scale ranged from large remote-controlled models up to 3.5 metres in length to tiny works of art made of cardboard, which are only a few centimetres in size when built to a scale of 1:1250. Fantastic dioramas and presentations in a wide variety of scales were also on display. One focus was on 3D printing, which was presented by several exhibitors. This new technology is playing an increasingly important role in ship modelling alongside long-established methods.

 

As in previous years, ship model builders from all over the world are invited to meet in Hamburg in October next year. This includes individuals who wish to participate, as well as model building clubs or associations that want to present their models together. Those wishing to participate should register with the IMMH at A.Reineward@imm-hamburg.de or directly with the exhibition's organising team at f.ilse@t-online.de. The registration should include which model building category – historical ships, cardboard, wood, plastic models or RC-controlled models – is to be displayed. Photos of some models are a good reference point. In addition, the approximate space required should be specified. Exhibitors who would like to give a presentation on specific aspects of ship modelling, their group or the historical aspects of their models are kindly requested to indicate this briefly in their registration form. There is no registration deadline, but please note that very late applications may not be considered as there is limited table space available for the exhibition. Once registration is complete, confirmation of participation will be sent. The organising team will then contact clubs and individuals directly to inform them about the exhibition preparations and keep them up to date. This applies in particular to all details concerning set-up and dismantling as well as the course of the exhibition itself.

 

So if you would like to present your model ships in the extraordinary setting of the International Maritime Museum Hamburg, please get in touch. The IMMH and the organising team look forward to receiving lots of registrations.

 

So far. So you can take part on your own or together with a ship modeling club. I am member of the Arbeitskreis historischer Schiffbau e.V. you might know this club, it has members in all parts of Germany. 

 

I participate with a transom model I am currently workingon, it has ornamental and sculptural carvings.

Here are some pictures:

Matthias

Edited December 29, 2025 by Beckmann

[HAIIAPHNK]

16 hours ago, Beckmann said:

Я участвую в проекте с моделью фрамуги, над которой сейчас работаю; она украшена декоративной и скульптурной резьбой.

Вот несколько фотографий:

Thank you very much, Matthias.
I will make every effort to attend the exhibition.

I would very much like to see your TRE KRONER in person. It is such an elegant piece of work.

[HAIIAPHNK]

Where should one begin the story of the Azov sculpture? Logically, just as with Mercury, it makes sense to first pay attention to its history.

The situation with Mercury was extraordinary. It could easily serve as a ready-made script for a beautiful film. It would be hard to find anything comparable in terms of epic drama. The history of Azov, on the other hand, appears much simpler. It is also connected with the Russo-Turkish War, but everything happened a year earlier.

The feat of Azov took place during a naval battle near Navarino Bay, located on the coast of Greece. A combined Russian–Anglo–French squadron entered a Turkish bay, where the united fleet of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, and Tunisia was stationed. In that battle, the ship Azov sank five enemy vessels. At the same time, she was under fire from eight ships, as well as from batteries located in a bastion and on an island opposite. Undoubtedly, things were extremely intense aboard Azov—both literally and figuratively. The endurance and skill of the crew are beyond doubt.











Nevertheless, this is a story about a battle involving many participants, and the merits were collective as well. Therefore, for me—simply as an outside observer—the story of a small ship has always seemed more outstanding. But that is no longer relevant to the matter at hand.















And this is that very large St. George’s stern flag that flew on Azov. An enormous piece of fabric! Today it is kept in the Naval Museum of Saint Petersburg. I have only been there once—back in 2014, when I traveled for the Universities Cup. At that time, the museum was in the process of moving from its old building to a new one, and when I visited, not all of the exhibition halls were open yet. Perhaps now this flag is already on display somewhere in the museum, although I cannot say that for certain. I am not sure. It is simply too large.





The photograph shows the authentic flag from the ship Azov on the steps of the Central Naval Museum. The image was taken before the restoration work in 1968; above are photographs of restorers during the process of restoration and conservation.
The St. George’s flag of Azov is the largest surviving flag of the Russian Navy. The dimensions of the flag are 9.5 by 14.5 meters.


 

[HAIIAPHNK]

Next, I had to determine what the figurehead of Azov actually looked like.

There are the following descriptions:
The figurehead of Azov, executed by Nikolai Dolganov, who had been specially commissioned from Saint Petersburg, reached a height of about three and a half meters and depicted a warrior wearing a gilded helmet, armor, and a short cloak. The upper part of the figure was made disproportionately large in order to compensate for perspective foreshortening when viewed from below.

 

After that, everything becomes increasingly vague. Naturally, photography did not exist at that time. The figure itself has not survived either. And the sketches that depicted the ship tended to portray the decoration rather freely. The artists did not strive to create accurate copies. Rather, these were personal interpretations based on brief descriptions.
And these are the images that can be found.

 

 

 

 

I will not go into details. To this day, there are heated debates about whether both drawings belong to Azov or to different ships altogether. If one were to delve into this topic, it would be a very long discussion.

In both cases, a bust is depicted that smoothly transitions into ornamental decoration below. A helmet, a cloak—that is all the images have in common. Everything else was shown by the artists either according to their skill or according to their imagination.

 

This situation is far from unique. One way or another, all of us who build ship models encounter similar issues. Sketches from the 17th, 18th, and even 19th centuries are by no means the same as the technical drawings or photographs we are accustomed to today. One must always understand that much has to be filtered through careful consideration. Even technical drawings simply cannot capture every nuance. And now I, too, have to combine everything that can be found, think it through, and present my own interpretation.

 

Azov was a ship belonging to a type that was built repeatedly. It was a very successful design. Sister ships of this prototype existed both before Azov and after her. What is particularly interesting is that all of them shared not only structural features, but also decorative elements. These are the figureheads that appeared on other sister ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is clearly visible that the theme of a warrior in antique attire was maintained throughout the entire line of these “relatives.”

 

By this point, I had firmly decided that I would create my own version. I have had projects where my primary goal was to produce a copy of a specific sculpture. But here I deliberately allow myself freedom. I want to put myself in the position of a craftsman who is free in his decisions. It is important to me that my sculpture corresponds to the historical descriptions. But I will decide myself exactly how my version will look.