As Cape Ann Museum prepares to open its extensively renovated campus in downtown Gloucester, a conservation team has been at work on some its ship models.
Conservator Nader Taheri and his team have done some some repair, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning and oiling the wood of the models as part of the conservation work. The team also worked on the Gloucester Waterfront Diorama, which contains four more models.
“Cape Ann Museum is fortunate to have about 60 ship models in our collection,” said Martha Oaks, the Henrietta Gates and Heaton Robertson chief curator.
“They include models of vessels engaged in the granite industry, pleasure craft, foreign trade, and of course fishing vessels ranging from colonial times through the 1990s. In addition to full scale models, we also have a collection of shipbuilder’s half-hull models,” Oakes said.
When the Gloucester museum reopens June 30, ship models will be on display in the two main fisheries galleries as well as the Cape Ann Gallery. Additionally, there will be a couple of models in the granite quarrying display.
Here are some history of the ship models that were part of these recent conservation efforts.
Gloucester resident Richard Harting’s 1969 model of the St. Nicholas, on loan from the Parisi family, is a model of an Eastern-rigged fishing dragger, typical of the vessels working out of Gloucester in the mid-20th century. Also on loan is a bronze Mariner’s Medal, made by Walker Hancock, and awarded to the captain of the St. Nicholas for bravery at sea.
A Grand Banks fishing schooner by Walter Woodbury (1764-1850) is the earliest model in the museum’s collection. This type of fishing vessel was used during the first half of the 19th century.
A model of the fishing schooner Sophronia by Willard E. Andrews, made in 2015-2016, is a gift of the maker and his wife Linda Andrews in memory of Kay Ellis. The Sophronia, built in Essex in 1849, serves as an example of a sharpshooter, a design that first appeared in the 1840s to meet a growing demand for fresh fish, which was preserved by ice on the schooner, rather than salt, according to the museum’s description. The vessel was designed for speed, to be the fastest to return to port, meaning it would get the best price for the fresh catch.
Another Andrews model is the fishing schooner Henry W. Longfellow, also a gift of the maker. The original schooner, built in 1883, was a clipper, also built for speed.
“The Longfellow carried a lot of sail and was more sharp ended than earlier designs. While clippers were fast, had good holding capacity, and ample working space on deck, they proved to be unstable in bad weather and contributed to the heavy loss of life in Gloucester’s fishing industry during the second half of the 19th century,” according to its description.
A third model by Andrews is of the fishing schooner Rhodora, built in 1910. The description notes that this knockabout schooner was constructed without a bowsprit to improve the vessel’s safety. The Gloucester firm of Cunningham and Thompson first used the vessel in the mackerel and halibut fisheries. Around 1918, an auxiliary engine was added and topmasts removed, reducing the sail area “for steadying rather than for propulsion.”
A model by Cape Ann’s Erik A.R. Ronnberg Jr. is of the fishing schooner Elsie, built at the Arthur D. Story shipyard in Essex, and designed by Capt. Thomas F. McManus as an all-sail vessel. This model is part of The James Collection gift.
“On her maiden trip in the summer of 1910, Elsie landed over 280,000 pounds of salt cod in Gloucester, harvested by handline from the fishing grounds of St. Peter’s Bank. During the early 1920s, Elsie participated in the International Fishermen’s Races between Gloucester and Canadian vessels. During the 1930s, Elsie was used as a training vessel for the Sea Scouts. She then went back to fishing, remaining in the industry until 1935 when she foundered off the coast of Newfoundland,” according to the description.
Jairus Hadley built a model of Serafina N., a gift of Joseph Nicastro. The vessel was to be used as a submarine-chaser during World War I. The 104-foot wooden-hulled vessel was later purchased by the Nicastro family and converted into a fishing dragger. For 42 years, she sailed under the command of Capt. Phil Nicastro (1906-1976), according to the description. The boat was eventually scuttled on Gloucester’s Pavilion Beach in 1974.
Another model is the fishing vessel Mary Rose, circa 1940s, a gift of Joseph Ciarametaro.
The Gloucester Waterfront Diorama, 1876 and 1892, includes models of four fishing schooners: Harry L. Beldin, Lottie S. Haskins, Puritan and Nannie C. Bohlin. The diorama features wharves, processing sheds and a marine railways. According to the museum description, the diorama was first displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and again at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Part of the setup was taken to Chicago on board the schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud in 1933, traveling via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. The diorama was meant to convey the activity taking place around Gloucester Harbor during the heyday of fishing under sail.
Gail McCarthy may be contacted at 978-675-2706, or gmccarthy@northofboston.com.