The ship is obviously much larger than the opening in the bottle.
Many people think the underside of the bottle is cut away; the ship,
however, is made of wood and its sails and rigging are paper and
thread. The secret is that the ship’s hull is small enough to fit
through the bottle’s neck, but the sails and spars (the masts and sail
supports) are collapsible and can be pulled into position using
controlling threads.
History
The history of ships in bottles is the history of the two major
components. Sailors on ships of all sizes and types have used scrap
wood, cloth, and rope to make model or toy boats to pass long hours at
sea. This model-making dates back perhaps 4,000 years. The Egyptians
buried miniature ships with their mummified masters, and the
Phoenicians, Etruscans, and Greeks produced models that are shown in
wall murals.
The merging of model ships with bottles is a much more recent
development, due largely to the poor quality of early bottles. Models
of human and heavenly figures were put in bottles as early as about
1750 and may have originated in monasteries, when, again, many quiet
hours were available for crafts. Character and puzzle models were put
in bottles of flawed glass and of shapes that help date them. When
techniques of manufacturing glass improved, glass bottles were clearer,
less distorted, and free of bubbles and heavy seams. Today, minor
distortions, soft tints, and the antique appearance of hand-blown
bottles are seen as advantages.
Model ships were not bottled until about 1850 when the great
clipper ships plied the seas from port cities in England and America.
These ships had as many as seven masts and many sails for the speeds
needed to cross oceans and deliver products and profits. They were also
equipped with guns and the large crews of sailors for manning the
rigging and weapons. The date of the first construction of a ship in a
bottle is unknown; but the patience needed to fold the masts in the
bottle was a challenge, and the bottle protected the model. Most of the
classic sailing ships have been preserved in bottles and in maritime
museums.
Raw Materials
The wood for the hull and the glass bottle should be chosen after
the model is selected; the proportions of the ship are better suited to
some bottles, and measurements of the ship parts are controlled by the
inner diameter of the neck of the bottle. Usually, the wood is a
hardwood such as spruce or fir, and it should be close-grained with no
flaws. Bottles with flat sides rest on shelves or tables easily.
Three-sided bottles with “dimples” also display attractively. Round
bottles require stands or supports for stability. Ships with more than
three masts look sleek in slender, elongated bottles. Sloops,
schooners, and other ships with one or two masts fit shorter bottles
well.
Other wood supplies include bamboo cocktail skewers or
small-diameter dowels for spars, popsicle sticks that can be carved
into deckhouses and lifeboats, wood matching the hull for a display
stand, and larger blocks of scrap wood for a raised work stand.
Sandpaper in grades from about 120-200 for smoothing the hull and other
wood is also essential.
Thread, wire, glue, and clear nail polish are used for the
rigging, metal trim like rails, and gluing pieces together (the nail
polish is also used as glue). Beeswax helps seal the fine wisps of
thread together. Paint thinner, model enamels in a variety of colors,
and fine paintbrushes are the materials and tools for painting the ship
parts. Medium-weight white bond paper is cut into the shapes of the
sails, and seams are drawn on with a pencil that is also used to curve
the sails.
The “sea” beneath the ship can be made with one of two
materials. Linseed oil putty and artists’ oil colors, especially white,
shades of blue, and some green, are the materials for one method. In
the second technique, Plasticene (artists’) clay is used to shape the
sea. The clay is manufactured in a wide range of colors, so the model
builder can choose the best sea color or combination and use white clay
slivers for whitecaps.
The method of sealing the bottle should also match the style
of the ship and bottle, and the method dictates the materials. Corks,
red sealing wax, and cotton fishing line tied around the neck of the
bottle in Turk’s Head or other sailors’ knots are a common combination.
Finally, the underside of the bottle (or back of a display board)
should be inked with white enamel describing the model.
The hobbyist also needs a selection of simple tools like
Exacto knives, a hobby drill with fine bits, and miniature
screwdrivers, saws, and a vise. Some tools have to be made for the
specific bottle and model size. These include wire tweezers, scoops,
and tampers for reaching the back of the bottle and for scooping and
tamping putty or clay into place. Clothes hangers can be cut and shaped
into long handles for these tools, and pieces cut from a tin can should
be soldered to the wire to finish these.
Design
The ships that are featured in bottles are historical subjects, and
part of the modeler’s skill is recreating a miniature version of the
original including the colors it was painted, the carving of its
figurehead, and the national flag at the time the ship sailed. Design
aspects of the ship are the modeler’s choice of which ship to build and
his or her depth of research. Crafters should begin with a simple model
and learn some of the basic nautical terms for sails, rigging, and
parts of a ship.
Apart from the ship, other aspects of the display are the
crafter’s choice. These include the type of bottle and display stand or
wall mount, decorations like rope edging and sailors’ knots, and other
touches inside the bottle.
Bottles may be chosen for size, shape, color, character, or eccentricity. Sizes can range from 3 in 3 (50 cm 3 )
to 2.7 qt (3 l). A ship can be finished in a large bottle with a
companion version in a tiny bottle. Pairs of identical bottles and
ships have been sealed together mouth-to-mouth and mounted on an
elevated display stand to emphasize the unusual construction. Ships
have also been sealed in light bulbs from large, clear globes to
Christmas tree bulbs.
Ultimately, the most successful designs balance creativity and
faithfulness to historical accuracy and realism. Small vessels should
sail on green or greenish blue near coastal water, rather than the deep
blue of the open ocean. Similarly, ships do not confront violent seas
in full sail, so the modeler needs to show restraint in painting
whitecaps. Proportions of masts and rigging to hulls, deck houses,
lifeboats, and flags should be as true as possible because some errors
will be obvious even to someone who has never seen a ship in a bottle
before.
The Manufacturing
Process
- When the ship and its bottle have been selected, all measurements
of both should be checked and double-checked. The ship and its
collapsed parts must fit through the neck of the bottle and must not
hit the top or sides of the bottle when the masts are erected. The
modeler cannot forget to add in the thickness of the planned sea under
the ship. The bottle should be cleaned and dried. - If the sea is to be made of putty, this is the next step.
The putty is mixed with oil paint in a shade suiting the sea; partial
blending of several colors will create the right tint and add variety
to the ocean’s colors. The sea should also be dark so the ship and
waves are visible. The crafter uses a custom-made scoop to spoon the
putty in the bottle. A wire tamper is then used to spread the putty and
shape some waves and a flat area for the base of the ship’s hull.
Smudges should be cleaned from the sides of the bottle, and it must be
left open until the putty is dry. Whitecaps, wakes, and waves should be
touched with white paint when the putty is dry. If putty is used, the
sea should be made before the model is carved and finished; if
Plasticene clay is the ocean water, the same process should be followed
after the ship is constructed and when the crafter is ready to tamp the
ship into the clay. - Construction of the ship begins with carving the hull. The
block of wood should be gripped in a vise until the basic shape, curved
sides, and deck are cut out. Chiseling out the extra wood makes raised
parts of the deck and the bulwarks around the edge of the deck. The bow
and stem (front and rear ends) of the ship are shaped next, and the
hull is cut away from the host block of wood. The hull should be sanded
with increasingly fine sandpaper and coated with clear nail polish that
will seal the wood and “varnish” the deck. The outer hull is then
painted with two coats of enamel of the correct colors. Thread is used
to mark straight lines showing gun ports and other lines. - The deck is finished, but details can be added by cutting
lifeboats, hatches, and deckhouses from wood skewers or popsicle
sticks. Other trim like metal rails, stanchions (posts), and davits
supporting the lifeboats can be made from wire and inserted in holes
drilled with a fine bit. Clear nail polish again glues these details in
place and coats the wire. Tiny hitches can be tied on the stanchions. - The wooden supports for the sails are collectively called
spars. The spars include masts, the bowsprit (a single spar projecting
from the bow or front of the ship), yards (spars that hold square sails
and cross a mast), booms (spars along the bottom edges of fore-and-aft
sails), and gaffs (spars along the top edges of fore-and-aft sails).
The spars and rigging must be true to the ship being modeled or the
model will not appear authentic. Spars usually have to be on the order
of 0.06 in (0.16 cm) in diameter. Birch doweling or bamboo skewers are
used to make the spars but are larger in diameter and should be sanded
to be more slender and round. Masts are larger in diameter than other
spars and, ideally, should taper from bottom to top. Completed spars
are coated with clear nail polish to prevent the wood or bamboo from
splitting and to add a glossy finish. Holes for rigging lines and holes
at the bases of the masts for wire pivots are drilled next. - No. 30 gauge wire is fed through the base of each mast and
bent in a U-shape with the two arms projecting down to construct a
pivot. After the pivot ends are fastened into matching holes on the
deck, the pivots will act as hinges to lower the masts and raise them
again inside the bottle. - The bowsprit is the first spar that is glued or drilled into
the foredeck. The threads that will be used to raise the masts will
surround the bowsprit, so it has to be fixed securely to the hull. A
fine drill point is used to drill holes through the spars for the
rigging. Sewing thread tipped with nail polish to stiffen the ends is
appropriate for all rigging. - Each mast with its set of spars including yards, gaffs, and
booms is assembled as a unit. Types of knots have to be chosen
carefully because some lines of rigging run fore and aft and others
side to side. Rigging that is tied in the wrong direction, with the
wrong knots, or too tightly will prevent small and fragile pieces from
folding to fit into the bottle and from being erected inside the
bottle. - After each mast and its spars are complete, its position on
the deck should be marked and holes should be drilled for the pivot
wire or hinge. The pivot wires for all masts should be inserted in the
holes and checked to confirm that the masts will lie almost parallel to
the deck and that the spars will also turn to parallel to the long axis
of the ship. When the spars are proven to move freely, the masts can be
glued in place. Later, after the sails are fixed in place, the tips of
the spars will be painted white for visibility. - The stays or controlling lines that will be used to raise
and lower the spars, rigging, and sails are tied to the masts using
clove hitch knots or running them through
The ship is constructed outside of the bottle, then gently placed inside and raised.
holes
and the masts, hull, and bowsprit. All of the knots and holes must be
positioned above other spars on the masts so the lines will not hang up
on the sails. The lines have to extend at least 18 in (46 cm) below the
hull and bowsprit for enough working length to erect the masts later.
This excess should be tied to hooks or tacks in the work stand
supporting the model. - The masts are stabilized on the sides with shroud lines that
are attached to the bulwark, which is the rail-like edge of the hull
extending above the deck. The shroud lines have to extend from
immediately to the sides of each mast or to the bulwarks aft of the
masts so they will not prevent the masts from being folded aft to pass
through the mouth of the bottle. An 18-in-long (46-cm-long) piece of
thread is knotted at one end, pulled through the inside of the forward
hole on the starboard (left) side of the bulwark until the knot stops
at the hole and further threaded through the hole in the mast. The
thread is then run outside the port side of the bulwark, through the
outside of the forward hole to the inside then wound on the inside of
the bulwark through to the next hole on the port side and back through
the mast. This process continues until the shroud lines are complete,
the mast stands at the correct position, and the lines are tight. Nail
polish is then painted on the thread on the inside and outside of the
bulwarks; when the polish dries, the thread should be cut. Shroud lines
are attached to each mast by the same method. Enamel should be painted
over the shroud line holes on the hull to blend with the existing
paint. - A square-rigged vessel requires further rigging called lifts
and braces. They are tied to the ends of the yards and passed through
holes in the masts. Each lift rises from one end of a yard through a
hole in the mast above the yard and back to the other end of the yard.
Each brace attaches to one end of the yard, passes through a hole in
the mast behind the mast supporting the subject yard, and is tied to
the opposite end of the yard. In other words, the lift rises
perpendicular to the deck, and the brace parallels it. This rigging
allows the yards to be raised and lowered and moved fore and aft, like
those on a true square-rigger. All rigging knots should be touched with
clear nail polish to seal them. - Medium-weight bond paper is excel-lent for sails because it
can be easily marked and curled. Cloth can also have weaves and
thicknesses that are too large for the scale of the model. Soaking it
in tea or coffee, drying it, and ironing it can “age” the paper. The
sails should be drawn on the paper to match the dimensions on the plan.
After cutting out the sails, each one should be held in position
against its spar to confirm the fit. The seams and reef points (short
lengths of rigging that pull up the bases of the sails) are drawn on
the sails with a sharp-pointed pencil. The pencil is also used to curve
each sail by wrapping the sail around it. The sails are glued in place
with clear nail polish, but some are glued along one side only so the
mast and other spars will fold back. The edges that should be glued
must be carefully checked. - As noted in Step 2 above, the “sea” in the bottle can either
be made of putty before the ship model is constructed or from
Plasticene when the ship is finished and ready to be pressed into in
the bottle. Plasticene has the advantage of providing its own adhesive
effect. If Plasticene is used as the sea, it should be added to the
bottle at this point in the construction process. Otherwise, the bottle
with the putty sea should have glue placed on the flat pad prepared
earlier to hold the ship. It will stay wet in the confines of the
bottle until the ship is collapsed to fit in the bottle. - To collapse the ship, the controlling lines attached to the
work stand should be untied. Beginning with the aft (rear) mast, each
mast should be lowered, and the spars should be turned to parallel the
masts. The sails will extend over the bulwarks and should be wrapped
around the hull. The stem of the ship should be inserted in the bottle
first. When most of the ship is in the mouth of the bottle, long
tweezers should be used to support the rest of the model to guide it
into the bottle. With the model gripped with the tweezers and well
inside the bottle, the lines (extending outside the bottle) should be
pulled gently and in the correct order to raise the masts from fore to
aft and to align the spars. The model can then be put on the pad of
glue or Plasticene and pushed down with the tamper. The rigging may
have tangled during the lowering and raising of the masts and can be
untangled when the hull is stuck in place. Similarly, the sail
alignments can be corrected. The whole process of inserting the ship in
the bottle and unfurling and correcting its parts must be done
carefully so the sails are not torn or other damage is not done. - After the sea dries, the masts should b e fastened in their
permanent positions. The stay or controlling lines should be pulled and
taped to the outside of the bottle. They should be secured to the
bowsprit with drops of nail polish, then the tape holding the lines
should be removed to test the security of the masts. If they keep their
positions, the lines can be cut where they pass through to the
underside of the bowsprit. Final corrections can be made to the rigging
and sails. - The bottle is sealed with a cork, but this can be cut off
flush with the mouth of the bottle or left partially extended. The
bottle can be resealed with its metal screw-on cap, if appropriate. All
seals can be anchored with sealing wax. Cotton fishing can be tied into
a Turk’s Head knot commonly seen on ships and nautical items. A
sequence of knots forms a line that can be wrapped around the bottle’s
neck. The modeler’s name, date of construction, and the type and name
of the ship can be written on the underside of the bottle or engraved
on a metal tag. - To provide the finishing touch, a wooden display stand or
wall mount can be constructed to complement the model. The ship in the
bottle must remain the focal point, and, ideally, the stand will
consist of rope, wood, or “period” materials rather than modern
choices. The range of possibilities is large, but some research and
woodworking techniques are useful in selecting a stand and finishing it
elegantly. Displaying the model at eye level and lighting it
attractively should also be considered.
Quality Control
The final impact of a ship in a bottle depends on the crafter’s
skill in every step of research, planning, selecting the bottle,
modeling the ship, finishing all details including rigging and sails,
erecting the model inside the bottle, and displaying the finished work
of art. A ship in a bottle is a work of art and should be treated like
the revered craft it is. If a model builder has any interest in
learning this craft, he or she must emphasize quality throughout,
including the process of checking and double-checking plans and
measurements.
Byproducts/Waste
Building ships in bottles produces almost no waste because of the
small features of the models and the limited amounts of materials
required. Some wood trimmings may result and are easily disposed.
The artist’s safety is also reasonably secure. Chisels, hobby
knives, pins, wires, and other sharp tools may cause the occasional
cut. However, the tools are small and are generally familiar to those
who become fascinated with this hobby. Other materials like nail polish
and modeling enamels produce fumes, but these are also minor. Adequate
ventilation and lighting are best for the hobbyist’s safety.
The Future
The hobby of building ships in bottles is not for everyone. Love of
research, ships and sea lore, history, woodworking and other skills,
and minute details, as well as considerable patience, are required. The
finished models are surprisingly durable and are treasured possessions
to leave to children and grandchildren. Competitions are held around
the world and opportunities to display models, including museum
exhibits, are plentiful, so many people can enjoy these creations and
purchase and collect them.
This nautical craft thrives because parts can be produced in
numbers and sold in kits for hobbyists of all skill levels. The
temporary nature of so many modern collectibles and mass production on
a far greater scale than the ship-in-a-bottle kits have also encouraged
crafters to pursue this relatively unusual interest. Those who
appreciate ships in bottles are not likely to grow to huge numbers, but
they are intensely loyal to the blend of skill and mystery in these
models, insuring a small but stable future.
shipinbottle
Good product
Ship in a bottle
www.shipinbottle.net's Blogspot
