What is model ship and the evolution of model making?
Every ship or boat model is a scale representation of a ship, with the intention of representing its shapes, dimensions and characteristics.
In the beginning: Model ships are mainly used to shape our understanding of what a final design should be and given us tangible scale precedents to work from. A wooden model of a ship-cart excavated at Gurob, Egypt, is the single most important piece of evidence for a now-lost warship design that was decisive in Mediterranean history. The model served as a child’s toy. The importance of this object lies in its highly unusual form and decoration: it appears to be a model of a ‘galley’ type of ship first used in Mycenaean Greece. The wheels on the cart show that the model, and the ship it represents, may have been intended to travel overland, possibly during ritual activity.
The middle ages: In this age, it became fashionable to decorate tables at noble or royal banquets with models of ships, symbolizing “Good Luck” and “Fair Wind”. Later, the wealthy merchants in the cities picked up this fashion. Models of ships were used as votive gifts to churches and saints. Later, in the 13th century, ship-models became fashionable at royal courts in England and France. Later the fashion became more widespread in Europe. Also, these ship-models turned into must-haves for the wealthy patricians in the cities, who organized the long-distance trade in luxuries as well as international banking.
The modern era
model ships became both popular children’s toys and popular models for hobbyists and collectors. As the 20th century moved on, the hobby grew in popularity across the globe and for the first time, thanks to the rise in popularity of plastic precast sets, affordable models were released that buyers could assemble themselves at home. Today, while virtual reality has indeed made the concept of ‘using your hands’ in a digital space more tangible, being able to touch and feel the intricacies and details of a real model can have its benefits and 3D printing and rendering offers the ability to physically test.All of the model ships and model boats from The Spyglass Shop are built using the traditional way of building ship models while integrating modern technology. With the purpose of making museum-quality model ship available for everyone but at the same time give the honor the classic beauty, our handcrafted model ships are historically accurate and available in multiple collections and sizes. Discover our model ship collections now.