Summary
Clipper ship model in a bottle made by John Mathrick in 1983. It is one of three models in a bottle of the same ship which depict the varying stages of constructing the model.
The ship is the 'Ariel' (1865) which was designed by William Rennie and built in 1865 by Robert Steele & Co., in Greenock. The 'Ariel' measured 197 feet in length by 33 feet in the beam and a tonnage of 853 gross. It is famous for almost winning an unofficial race between Foochow, China, and London with the first crop of tea in the 1866 season. It was beaten by the clipper 'Taeping' which sailed 16,000 miles in 99 days and arrived at the London Docks 20 minutes ahead of the 'Ariel'. In 1872 the 'Ariel' sailed from London for Sydney but failed to arrive and it is thought that it probably foundered in the Southern Ocean after rounding Cape Horn.
Physical Description
Three masted ship in full sail on a wavy sea inside a glass bottle. The bottle has been sealed with a cork and wax topper, it is marked 'DIMPLE' and is triangular in cross section.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Purchase
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Modelmaker
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Inscriptions
On bottom of the bottle: DIMPLE Base: HAIG / JOHN HAIG & Co Ltd / SCOTLAND On paper label: ARIEL / 1865 / by J MATHRICK / 1983 On wax seal: JM
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Classification
Water transport, Wind power - sailing vessels, Model clipper ships
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
201 mm (Length), 125 mm (Width), 110 mm (Height)
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References
Line drawings of Ariel at ST 034742.
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Keywords
Bottles, Sailing Vessels, Model Boats, Model Ships, Modelmaking, Models & Modelmaking
