I recently purchased a tall ship model from the NY times store and I have a few suggestions that you should think about when you are in the market for a wooden model ship of any type. I did a bunch of research before I took the plunge because let’s face it, a museum quality model ship is not a cheap investment. More importantly though, it is a center piece, and the more detail, and better craftsmanship that it has, the more interesting it is.
One of the things that I learned is the the price of a tall ship model is not necessarily a great indicator of the quality that you are getting. There are many over priced wooden ship models on the market. The clarity is in the construction. When you are in the market you want to look for a few things.
1. That you like the ship and like the history of it – EVERYONE will ask you questions about it.
2. Make sure it is made of all wood, metal, silk sails, etc – No plastic parts!!
3. Look at the construction – Handmade and plank on frame assembly are a must.
4. The details – Make sure your tall ship model has plenty of intricate details.
5. Take a look at the time spent to build the ship. 100+ man hours is about standard.
A good museum quality tall ship model should range from about $400 – $1000 smackers. They can actually cost up to 15k but that is completely out of my price range so you will have to find another article to read from a bigger baller then myself!
