Thursday 7 May 2015

Building a Galleon



Sue and I visited the VE Celebrations in Evesham on Bank Holiday Monday, a celebration and Vintage Fayre which had out-door entertainers and street activities based around the old Black and White Bank at the top of the main street. We had a great day out listening to the music, browsing Vintage and Antique stalls and seeing a whole host of vintage vehicles.

My only purchase on the day was this book- Building  a Galleon - A Modelcraft "Planbook" written by H. S. Coleman and illustrated by L. V. Price. The cost - just £3.00.

The card-back book contains both black and white drawings and photographs of completed models plus four 20" x 30" double-sided paper sheets of plans and instructions to build a model of The Golden Hind.

Here is a taster of the contents and plans.


I couldn't find a published date, but I do know that the book was published by; Modelcraft Ltd, 77 Grosvenor Road London SW3 Price; Twelve Shillings and Sixpence (Seventy-Two and a half pence.)



The images below show some detail off the main plans, which are in a very fragile state.





There were even card profiles for the sails.


I have already built a water-line model of The Golden Hind. For details go to this link. But this has prompted me to at least think about a second model!

The real highlight for me was the instructions, as they hark back to a day before Superglue and plastic card. All of the model was to be built from scrap wood, cardboard and inventive scratch-building. For example building the anchor from a split-pin or the railings from various beads.

A great find and one that I know my Father would have enjoyed reading and possibly building.

Tony

10 comments:

Tony said...

An Internet search suggests that this book was published in 1970!

Tony

Diplomatist said...

Coleman was author of several books of medeling plans from the 1930s.

His best-known work is'Modelmaking for Boys', first published in 1949, but several editions afterwards.

He founded Modelcraft Ltd in 1938, which specialised in cut-out card 'micromodels' and plans.

Tony said...

Thanks for the information.

Tony

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Used to love those kinds of books as a much younger Steve the Wargamer... and the boys Book of Knowledge, Look and Learn, etc.... maybe it's a boy thing...!Fantastic find.. please tell us you're going to have a go at building it using the plans provided... :o)

Paul Howes said...

That Book is a very good find at no mistake. Will you build The Golden Hind? Beano Boy

Tony said...

"Will you build The Golden hind?"

Not at this moment - but it is a great project for the future.

Tony

joppy said...

I've just spotted your thread while researching something else, and can tell you that the 'planbook' would have been published around 1950. I still have my father's copy, though sadly not the model he produced from it. Modelcraft did many plans at that time, and I collect their ship model designs, a second book was 'Build a Clipper Ship', and both can be found regularly on ebay or second hand book sites (i.e. Abebooks).

Unknown said...

The author was my late husband's father. He manufactured electric signs originally, such as the Wrigley's Waterfall in Piccadilly Circus in London, which were operated by means of a punched tape running through a bath of mercury. When war broke out, with the associated "blackout" mandatory across the towns and cities of England, his business was wiped out in a stroke, and he had to come up with an alternative business. That was when Modelcraft was born. Sadly he developed cancer, I believe in the early 1950s, and died not long after. His son inherited his father's love of, and skill at making things, and continued making models, and electric signs until computerisation made the mercury bath method obsolete in the early eighties. He loved to pass on his knowledge to a younger generation just as his father did.

Tony said...

Thank you for the information.

I still have the book and plans and one day (when I have the free time) I WILL get around to modelling a galleon. In honour of your father and mine (who loved to model ships in bottles).

Tony

Hans said...

Just bought the same Golden Hind Plans, in a local Fleamarket here in north-eastern Switzerland! 4 Sfr was the price, I guess about £ 3 . There also was a receipt inside for 1/17/6 from Hobbies Limited in London...and a date, 30 March 1940 or 1946, hard to tell...

Cheers Hans