A display quality model of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Arctic exploration ship Endurance

ANONYMOUS (AMERICAN, 20TH CENTURY)

Details

A display quality model of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Arctic exploration ship Endurance
Anonymous (American, 20th century)
The hull of this model is built up from the solid and has black painted topsides and a copper plated bottom. The decks of the model are basswood with the planking lines scored in place. The decks of the model are fitted with numerous details which include: anchors, anchor windlass, hatches, buckets and barrels, canvas wrapped boxes of supplies, companionways, ladders, stalls for sled dogs and live stock, ships boats rigged on brass davits, steam funnel, binnacle and wheel. The model is rigged as a three masted barque and is complete with standing and running rigging, and is fitted with a complete set of linen sails with the panels drawn in. The model is mounted on a pair of brass pedestals on a mahogany board and displayed in a glass and mahogany framed case with a mahogany base.
41¼ x 16¼ x 59 in. (104.8 x 41.3 x 149.9 cm.) cased dimensions on stand.

Lot Essay

For Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition he chose the 300-ton 144-ft. wood-hull barkentine Polaris, which had been built at Norways Framnaes shipyard, whose extreme-strength ships were favored for polar exploration. Renamed Endurance, she sailed south as World War I broke out in August 1914 and became icebound at 74 south latitude, short of the Antarctic coast, then frozen fast as the ice became tightly packed by several days of high winds from the northeast. Immobilized for ten months, including the Antarctic winter, the crew abandoned her as she was crushed and finally lost on October 27, 1915.

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