Handcrafted Model of the New Zealand Steamship Liner!

Presented
is a Cased Builder’s Model of SS Ruahine, the second ship
of this name built for the New Zealand Shipping Company Limited in 1909. The ship was 480 ft. between perpendiculars with
a beam of  60 ft. and a draft of 35 ft. She displaced 10,580 tonns. The model’s scale is 1/4 inch = 1 ft. and its size
is 10 ½ ft.  It was sold in England to the current owner in late 1985.

COMPARABLE SALES: A recent 2015 sale in England of the similar cased model, 12 ft. 9.5 in. long, of the Mauretania sold for
the astounding price of $253,135 to a London gallery. In September, 2015 in Boston, a near like size cased model of the ocean
liner Imperator sold for about $43,000.00 including buyer’s premium.

This model
dates from 1909, and is approximately 10 ½’ (126”) and is housed in the original glazed Mahogany case which
is 11 ½’ (138”) in length. Height of the model ship with mast is about 3 ft. The total height of the case
is 4.5 ft.  It has been in the same collection since 1986 when it was purchased from the upscale antiques dealer, Langfords
on Chancery Lane in London.  The
ship carried cargo and passengers between England and New Zealand until 1949 when she was sold.

 

 

THE NEWZEALAND
SHIPPING CO. (NZSC) was
a shipping line whose ships ran passenger and cargo services between Great Britain and New Zealand from 1873 through
1973.  A group of Christchurch
businessmen, including Hugh Murray-Aynsley and John Coster, founded the company in 1873. The company gradually established
a fleet of vessels, using Maori names for each. From 1875 the livery consisted of black hulls, white superstructure and yellow
funnels.

In 1882,
the company’s ships were equipped with refrigeration. and a frozen meat service began from New Zealand to England. Company policy dictated a stop at Pitcairn Islands,
in the Pacific, to break the monotony of the ocean crossing.

CONDITION:
Two lifeboats have fallen from their davits, and one lifeboat is askew and the rudder is down under the stern, laying at the
bottom of the case as shown in the pictures.  All the parts are
present.  Everything else is reported to be in very good to excellent condition as may be seen elsewhere.

Top: showing seven lifeboats properly in their davits. Lower: showing two lifeboat down.

PROVENANCE:
The owner is the patriarch of a distinguished American family listed in Forbes 400.  The model was sent to the U.S.
where it was on display as the centerpiece of a nautical theme in a private dinner club for many years. Now new to the market
for the first time in 30 years.

Top: A picture of the Ruahine at a London dock. Below:  A postcard

PAINT
SCHEME: The case of the ship is varnished Mahogany. As we interpret the finishes from the pictures taken through
glass, the hull is painted black from the white boot top or water line to the main deck. From the white water line down there
is a broad band of pink which in some pictures looks like orange paint and beneath that a dark red bottom paint. All decks
are finished to look like teak planking.  The sides of all the deck level cabins or houses, but one, are painted
white. There is a deck cabin under each of the two masts which are also painted white. The mast and booms are varnished wood.
The cabins above the main deck which is the Boat Deck looks to be varnished Mahogany or brown and the second deck cabin
sides are white.  Deck machinery such as donkey engines and housed anchors are black. Railings, ventilators, blocks are
polished metal.

 

Except as noted, all sections of the ship model are in very good condition

 

The
ship’s name is painted on both bows and the stern carries the name and home port. Being a full ocean going passenger and
cargo ship there are two main cargo thatches forward and two smaller cargo hatches near the stern. Adjacent to each set of
hatches, are masts and booms that are rigged to donkey engines for hoisting and lowering cargo. From the large size windlass
on the foredeck to the steering station aft, the model maker paid attention to detail such as the hand rails, port
holes, ventilators and machinery. The hull rests on four turned brass pedestals making this a beautiful display.

THE
SHIP RUAHINE: 

For
full details see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Shipping_Company

PROVENANCE:
Purchased in England in late 1985 from a tony London antiques dealer, Langfords on Chancery Lane in London, by
the patriarch of a distinguished American family listed in Forbes 400. Sent to the U.S. where it was on display in a private
dinner club for many years. Now new to the market for the first time in 30 years.

APPROXIMATE
DIMENSIONS of MODEL: LOA 10.5′ L x 3′ W x  4.5′ H        Not
weighed

This is a carefully made builder’s model of a British Merchant
Ship from the Turn of the 20th Century. It makes a worthwhile centerpiece of a marine collection or display.