Ships and Boats 1954 - 1957.
Set S13 - The Royal Yacht 'Bluebottle'. Issued in 1954 at a cost of 2/6d. This set contains six cards and brown paper for the sails and will make two models. The former royal yacht 'Bluebottle' was presented to HM The Queen and Prince Philip as a wedding present. It is now on show at Leith Docks in Edinburgh. Another set with the wrapper illustration at ninety degrees to most of the others in the series.
Set S14 - Pulling & Sailing Lifeboat and Motor Lifeboat. Two boats could be modelled from this set issued in 1955 at a cost of 3/0d. No reprint was ever issued making it scarce. Six cards, a half-card base and a brown paper sail sheet were included. A very attractive illustration on the wrapper.
Set S15 - Maori Ceremonial War Canoe. Published in 1955 at a cost of 3/0d. Never reprinted. This set contains six cards and a base strip. It was supposed to be one of a three-part set, the other two being a Maori Meeting House and a Maori Village. Unfortunately, these models were never produced.
Sets S16 and S17 were never issued.
Set No.1 - New Series - 'The Mayflower'. This was the last Micromodel produced and was issued by the new owners after Geoffrey Heighway's death. Published in 1957 at a cost of 4/0d. It used the original artwork by Geoffrey Heighway for his Set 8, which was never issued. The 'Mayflower' also appears in Set S1. Apparently, the model was originally conceived to commemorate the sailing of a full-sized replica of 'Mayflower' from the UK to the US.
Promotional Model - Donald Campbell's 'Bluebird'. This model was produced for the Mobil Oil Company and originally consisted of a single large sheet, folded to resemble a normal Micromodel. As is well known, 'Bluebird' was owned by Donald Campbell. Tragically, he was killed in January, 1967, whilst attempting to break his own water speed-record on Coniston Water in England's Lake District. This model was later reprinted in its original form and subsequently in the usual Micromodel six-card and wrapper format, by Autocraft Ltd., the current owners of the printing plates. Here is the later six-card version with its very attractive wrapper..
That concludes the Micromodels Ltd. nautical models. Next, I would like to briefly look at the nautical models from Modelcraft Ltd.
Terry
Set S14 - Pulling & Sailing Lifeboat and Motor Lifeboat. Two boats could be modelled from this set issued in 1955 at a cost of 3/0d. No reprint was ever issued making it scarce. Six cards, a half-card base and a brown paper sail sheet were included. A very attractive illustration on the wrapper.
Set S15 - Maori Ceremonial War Canoe. Published in 1955 at a cost of 3/0d. Never reprinted. This set contains six cards and a base strip. It was supposed to be one of a three-part set, the other two being a Maori Meeting House and a Maori Village. Unfortunately, these models were never produced.
Sets S16 and S17 were never issued.
Set No.1 - New Series - 'The Mayflower'. This was the last Micromodel produced and was issued by the new owners after Geoffrey Heighway's death. Published in 1957 at a cost of 4/0d. It used the original artwork by Geoffrey Heighway for his Set 8, which was never issued. The 'Mayflower' also appears in Set S1. Apparently, the model was originally conceived to commemorate the sailing of a full-sized replica of 'Mayflower' from the UK to the US.
Promotional Model - Donald Campbell's 'Bluebird'. This model was produced for the Mobil Oil Company and originally consisted of a single large sheet, folded to resemble a normal Micromodel. As is well known, 'Bluebird' was owned by Donald Campbell. Tragically, he was killed in January, 1967, whilst attempting to break his own water speed-record on Coniston Water in England's Lake District. This model was later reprinted in its original form and subsequently in the usual Micromodel six-card and wrapper format, by Autocraft Ltd., the current owners of the printing plates. Here is the later six-card version with its very attractive wrapper..
That concludes the Micromodels Ltd. nautical models. Next, I would like to briefly look at the nautical models from Modelcraft Ltd.
Terry