The
ANTIQUE SHOP and the MODEL SAILOR.
Over
the years in this hobby lots of things have turned up in the
buying and selling of model yachts or as the Antique trade like
to call them POND YACHTS. In general terms there is a gap
between what the Antique Shop knows and what the Model Collector
knows. Antique Shops get into that superior position by practice
with this product.
Most people, who collect Model Yachts, do
it for the love of them. They like the grace and beauty that
these old boats impart to them, unlike, perhaps that newer
design doesn’t. And it is true that “Beauty is in the Eye of the
Beholder” .
The thing with the Model Yacht collector
and the Antique shop is for the Modeller to “know your product”.
Most people get caught out because they don’t know a lot about
what they are buying or selling.
Take the case, the other day I heard
someone was trying to get an “original old Australian
Marblehead” possibly a “Cherrio” (American type). Little did
they know that the Cherrio was not known in Australia? This
person did not have a simple grasp of the roots of Model
Yachting in this country.
From time to time I get Emails from ARYA
member thinking they might have a little “dabble” into the
Antique Model Boat market! They see a “bargain “ on Ebay or
somewhere and think “why not”. Here folks is a person waiting to
be parted from his money. Their Emails are about “Can you
identify what boat this is”. Now we do our best, for the photo
is generally not ideal or the wrong part of the boat is seen
etc, etc for an identification. We help where we can. I take it
as part of my hobby in being the Historian to get them an
answer. The Antique Shop hasn’t got a problem though, they put
it down as an “OLD MODEL POND YACHT” and it is.
So you’re at a distinct disadvantage here,
from the word GO. Sometimes these Model Boats sell for big dough
because they look old but don’t be fooled, they can be made to
look older than they are. Some years ago one of the big
department stores in Sydney got some Balmain Bugs made for a
window display. These were nicely done but made from fruit box
wood and steel nails all nicely painted over with “antique
paint” to look old. I had see n them around before and were
being passed off to an unsuspecting buyer as the real thing by
an individual. Of course with a bit of “knowledge” nobody would
have been fooled, for the first good look would have seen it
all. But some people go on “trust”. Trust is a thing to be
earned over time.
So I suppose I could do some Do’s and
Don’ts at this juncture:-
The Do’s, Do make an effort to get some
information about the boat you’re interested in. If it is a POND
yacht or a MODEL yacht. A class boat or a play yacht.
IE, A Pond yacht would have raced in a
class in a pond OR a Model yacht that would have sailed in a
pond in a park. Try to find out what your boat did. Generally a
Pond yacht will have more fittings on it than a Model yacht. A
Model yacht will have the bare minimum of fittings to sail with.
Don’ts, Don’t take the Antique shop word
for it being Pond yacht. Use the above explanation about ‘Pond
and Model’. Be careful if a model is recently painted/
varnished. Like Balmain Bugs were NEVER painted. Paint can cover
multiples of damage/ faults. Look for Antique type paints used
on the hull. Balmain Bugs used for racing didn’t have numbers on
them only color patches. Don’t be fooled.
Aluminium Masts were used (in Australia)
from the 1950’s so the boat does not have to have wood mast for
it to be an old Model racing yacht.
Generally a Pond yacht will have class
numbers on the sails or other things to identify its class.
Australian Model Racing Yachts started
numbering about early 1960s. First 36 Restricted class then
Marblehead . Read up on Australian Model yacht history (These
Pages)
LASTLY, be careful, A lot of people came to
this country from the United kingdom and other places and they
brought their models with them. I have seen over the years
Scottish 12 metres, X class from USA, 15 Raters from Scotland
(circa) pre 1913, 6 metres, and many more. A whole club started
in Adelaide in SA from Expats from Fleetwood in the UK in about
1965(circa). Brought their Marbleheads with them.
I heard the other day a friend buying a
“CENTENNIAL PARK model boat”. My friend lives in Hobart. I had
to tell him that CENTENNIAL Park is a place and that there is no
such class as a C.P. Model boat and gave him the reasons.
Australia has their own classes as dating
from 1868 circa. So there is a lot to collect, provided you have
a little knowledge of the hobby & History. GOOD LUCK and be
careful.
Steve Crewes (Collector) Nat. Historian
2010