Information

Extremely fine and rare half hull model of the American Bark “LIZZIE WILLIAMS” circa 1868. The model is constructed of wight lifts which were stacked on a pair of thin wood boards the project above the hull and carved flush to the hull near the keel. The model can be taken apart lift by lift today and each of the lifts can be viewed separately. This is a rarely seen method for building half hulls. The model is carved and painted to properly represent the lines of the vessel. She is painted black above the water line and brown below. The name “LIZZIE WILLIAMS” along the top of the hull near the stern. There is a black and white painted snub bowsprit projecting from the bow which is attached to the backboard is has a woold molded border. The back of the backboard is painted dark green and the frame like border black. The fancy painted gold tailboard is painted on the backboard as is the keel which rounds down the carved hull along the bottom of the hull and the up the brown and black rudder painted rudder. The bottom lift is attached with small metal pins. There is a small meta hook that wraps around the bottom of the hull holding it into position.  That rear of the backboard is raw pine and retains the original rusted screws that hold the hull to the backboard. The top of the backboard is grooved out in two places and a pair of hanging wires are installed. Ther is an old paper jelly label with the not “Bark Lizzie Williams Sank OFF Kodiak Island April 22,1889.
Condition: The model is in excellent untouched condition.
Dimensions: 44 Inches long, 8 Inches high
Reference 1: American Lloyds for the Year 1880 Page 191 Line 254 – The Lizzie Williams was a Bark Built in 1868 in Rockland Maine for her owner A. Blair of San Francisco. She was 157 feet in Length, 33 feet in beam and she drew 19 feet of water. She sank off of the Kodiak Island off the Alaskan coast on August 22, 1889.
Reference 2: Periodical Dailey San California, Volume 80. Number 138. May 18. 1889 Chapter titled a WRECKED BARK. The Lizzie Williams Runs Ashore in a Severe Storm. The lizzie Williams leaves San Francisco on March 27 with a crew of twelve men and seventy-five Chinamen, and a full cannery at Cape Alatak on the lower part of the Kodiak Islands. In a day the wind blew a gale with blinding snow. Captain Cushman lost his bearings and ran ashore. Two scows we loaded, one for the Chinamen and the other for the officers and crew. They all made it assure without loss of life. They were able to take enough provisions to keep everyone alive. All of the survivors were saved and moved to safety by the steamer Elsie.