42 - A FINE 1:128 SCALE WATERLINE MODEL OF THE FOUR-MASTED GERMAN BARQUE HERZOGIN CECILIE [1902] BY MALCOLM DARCH

A FINE 1:128 SCALE WATERLINE MODEL OF THE FOUR-MASTED GERMAN BARQUE HERZOGIN CECILIE [1902] BY MALCOLM DARCH the 27in. carved hull with simulated plating, scored decks with detailed wood and metal fittings as appropriate including capstan, anchor, ventilators, covered lifeboats in davits, companionway, winches, binnacle, ship's helms etc., four painted masts with yards, standing and running rigging with wooden blocks and tackle and Finnish flag, depicted at anchor in a green glass sea with a ship's boat lowered from starboard davits with two crew securing the lines, contained within a glazed wooden case with modellers' brass plate to front -- 20¼ x 42¾ x 15½in. (51.5 x 108.5 x 42cm.) Built by Rickmers of Bremerhaven and completed in 1902 for £43,000, Herzogin Cecilie was one of the last sailing trading ships built. Registered at an impressive 3,242 tons, she was manned by cadets during her first twelve years of service for the Norddeutscher Lloyd Line. She was only competitive against steamships on longer trade routes that required the routine rounding of Cape Horn and were not ideal for steamers, as coal was in short supply there. Interned in Chile during WW1 and then transferred in 1921 to Finnish ownership, she made several record runs from Australia to Europe with grain in what became an annual ‘grain-race'. In January 1936 she sailed from Port Lincoln as one of 16 ships bringing home grain, making the passage in 86 days. After calling at Falmouth, she struck the Ham Stone at 4 am in foggy conditions and was beached. The Salcombe lifeboat took off most of her crew and then stood by. She lay there for seven weeks before 464 tons of wheat were removed, lightening her enough to tow her into Starehole Bay near Salcombe, her decks awash and her holds full of water; there she beached again and was broken up in situ, with the remnants of her cargo rotting in the hold.