Building ships-in-bottles as a hobby began in the 1880s as a way for sailors to pass their time at sea. Sailors used whatever materials were available to them, and even today it costs only $10 to $15 to get started. Hobbyist Don Hubbard, who started the hobby in 1969, says the key to building ships-in-bottles is to keep the ship narrow enough to pass easily through the bottle's neck. Once the ship is inside, a variety of tools are used to position it and add finishing touches. - Hubbard builds his ships so that the masts can be flattened to pass through and then reopened once inside the bottle (figure A).
- A knot-tying tool is used to rig the ship once it's inside the bottle. Once the knot is hooked (figure B), the tool is used to slide and tighten the knot.
Kits are available for the beginner, but Hubbard prefers to create something closer to his vision of what each ship should look like. He hand-carves many of the miniatures instead of purchasing them.
RESOURCES :
Sailors' Folk-Art under Glass: A Story of Ships-in-Bottles
Model: 0962616281
Author: Louis R. Norton
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