Cutty Sark 1970's Large Sterling Silver Model Ship-Mint

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Cutty Sark 1970's Large Sterling Silver Model Ship-Mint

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Sold Date: 11/08/2007
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Fine Art

Incredible find from a large Northern NJ Estate - this beautifully hand made large model of the famous sailing ship -" The Cutty Sark" in solid sterling silver. Signed Janna - For Janna Thomas de Velarde an internationally know artist who designed and produced fine jewelry in Taxco Mexico from 1965 until her death in 1980. In 1966 she is mentioned in James Norman's Book as a "talented newcomer to the Taxco scene .... who designs vermeil table decorations for Tiffany of New York". At some point Janna's workshop in Taxco employed over 100 persons. She is listed in "The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks" by Billie Hougart -2006.

The Sterling Ship measures an impressive 12 1/2 inches long from the tip to the back, and 10 1/4 inches from the wooden base to the top of the tallest mast. The sails taper in size as they rise up toward the tip of the mast. The bottom sail is about 3 1/2 inches wide. The sails are hand finished to have the appearance of fabric texture. The ship is bolted to the wooden base. Some pieces of the ship, such as the lifeboats have a gold wash over the sterling (vermeil) to enhance the beauty of the work

This graceful and majestic ship is marked 94-500, apparently from a series done of 500 pieces sometimes in the 1970's. The edition number and the name "Cutty Sark" appears on the back of the boat and on a silver plate attached to the wooden base. The solid wooden base measures 17 3/4 inches wide and 10 1/2 inches deep. It is about 1 1/4 inches thick. T is a deep grooved cut to hold the plexiglass cover. The plexiglass cover measures 15 1/8 inches wide, 13 inches high and 9 inches deep.

On one sail is a round vermeil disk marked Silver Creations Limited , A picture of a ship, and the name Janna - to the right side is the word sterling and the word Mexico. See detailed Photos

Truly a unique and wonderful gift for the special person in your life. No reserve- Low starting bid. Buyer will pay shipping and insurance in the USA - approximately $35.00

The Cutty Sark - Some background from the internet.

A Clipper Ship designed by Hercules Linton and built in 1869 at Dumbarton, Scottland , by the firm of Scott & Linton for Captain John "Jock" "White Hat" Willis.

Cutty Sark was destined for the tea trade, then an intensely competitive race across the globe from China to London, with immense profits to the ship to arrive with the first tea of the year. However, she did not distinguish herself; in the most famous race, against Thermopylae in 1872, both ships left Shanghai together on June 18th , but two weeks later Cutty Sark lost her rudder after passing through the Sundra Strait, and arrived in London on October 18th, a week after Thermopylae , a total passage of 122 days. Her legendary reputation is supported by the fact that her captain chose to continue this race with an improvised rudder instead of putting into port for a replacement, yet was only beaten by one week.

In the end, clippers lost out to steamships, which could pass through the recently-opened Suez Canal and deliver goods more reliably, if not quite so quickly, which proved to be better for business. Cutty Sark was then used on the Australian wool trade. Under the respected Captain Richard Woodget , she did very well, posting Australia-to-Britain times of as little as 67 days. Her best run, 360 nautical miles (666 km) in 24 hours (an average 15kt, 27.75 km/h), was said to have been the fastest of any ship of her size.