Beschreibung:

A fine planked and rigged 1:75 scale static display model of the eleven gun steam paddle and sail French Ship-of-War Sphinx built by M. Chescû with masts, yards with foot ropes, gaffs, boom, left and right hand wound standing and running rigging with scale blocks, main, mizzen and forestays, dolphin striker, carved figurehead in the form of a sphinx, anchors with bound wooden stocks secured by chain and rope, catheads, belaying rail, cleats and pins, rope coils, deck rings, deck winch with wooden handles, companionways with ladders, gratings, glazed engine room lights, black painted stayed funnel with perforated crown, copper safety valve extension pipe attached by brackets, paddle boxes with access hatches, steps and glazed doors, wooden handled brass bilge pump, saloon lights, wood and brass binnacle, finely carved helm with ropes, three cast iron cannon with stepped carriages with tackle and eight carronades on swivel sliders with tackle, stern mounted ship's boat with bottom boards, thwarts and rudder. The hull, with finely lined deck, rudder, red painted paddle wheels, finely carved decoration to stern and paddle boxes, is copper sheathed below the waterline and finished in black and varnish and mounted on two turned brass coulmns and display base secured to figured walnut board, plexiglass cover. Measurements overall -- 41 x 72cm. The Sphinx carried in her cargo the obelisk of the temple of Luxor, given to France by the Viceroy of Egypt in 1829, now standing in the the Place de la Concorde, Paris. This model was awarded the Silver Medal at the European Championship in Barcelona in 1999. See colour illustration and detail