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1884.81.16

Model Chinese war junk. [ZM 11/2/2016]

1884.81.16

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Collection type
Object
Description
Model Chinese war junk. [ZM 11/2/2016]
Long description
Carved and stained wooden model of a sea going Chinese war junk. The rigging, which is attached to the hull, is made of cotton and twisted metal. The rigging is fragile and has broken in a number of places. There are two sails made from lengths of vertical strips of bamboo, or cane; these have been stitched and secured onto a piece of netting by Museum conservation staff to help support the sails. There are two model cannons both on stands and attached to each other using cotton. The cannons are secured in place on the deck of the ship with two interconnecting sections of wood. There is a pole carved decoratively at one end that fits into a hole at one end of the ship. The twenty nine oars fit into position along both sides of the deck. The model contains the following detachable parts: the hull [.1]; four pivot guns [.2-.5]; two sails [.6-.7]; a pair of attached cannons [.8]; two interlocking pieces of wood [.9-.10]; twenty nine oars [.11-.39]; and a pole [.40]. [ZM 1/3/2016]
Geographical reference
China
Asia > Eastern Asia > China
Unknown
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1874
Date collected
Prior to 1874
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Wood Plant, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Material Bamboo Plant, Material Cane Plant, Process Carved, Process Stitched, Process Tied, Process Stained
Dimensions
Length: max 1475 mm, Width: max 266 mm, Height: max 980 mm with mast but no sails
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.81.16 PR Cat other PR nos: 2721
Research and responses

It is not stated in any of the primary sources which object [and where it was] the boat was modelled on. It was presumably used as example of a missing link in one of the series. [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Navigation, Firearm Weapon, Model, Boat, Firearm

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