Commissioned Model Area

All of the models shown in this area were built by John Fox III through commissions for specific vessels. Commissions are gladly taken for any sailing vessel, whether old or new. The models listed below are just a few of the commissioned models John has built. Any model seen on any other model page currently listed as "sold out" can also be ordered through a commission sale. Commissioning a model of your own, or a friend's, personal sail boat makes an excellent gift.

Commission models are built on a first-come first-served basis. John controls the number of commissions taken by the present workload. Please feel free to email John with any questions you may have regarding requesting him to build a model of your choice.

Prices for commissioned models are not listed. The pricing for such models is a matter of workload and plan availability, as well as the size for the requested model. Prices for a specific model can be discussed via email for any enquiry.



The Catalina 30 "Romanza"
This model of a Catalina 30 was built on a commission from friends, students and co-workers of a University of Minnesota Music professor as a surprise gift. Plans for a Catalina 30 were obtained, and used along with a few photographs of the actual sail boat to produce the model. In this manner individual identifying numbers and marks can be included on the model, to make it a true model of the owner's vessel. 

Closer view of Romanza inside the lab bottle

Close up view of Romanza while still under construction

 
 

The   "Stormy Duchess"
This model of "Stormy Duchess" was built on a commission from  co-workers of an architect as a surprise gift. Plans for a boat were obtained, and used along with a few photographs of the actual sail boat to produce the model. In this manner individual identifying numbers and marks can be included on the model, to make it a true model of the owner's vessel. 

Closer view of Stormy Duchess inside the lab bottle

Close up view of Stormy Duchess while still under construction

 

"Endurance"
These models of "Endurance" were built on commissions from several people who were interested in the exciting adventure story of Ernest Shackleton's failed Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Plans were obtained, and used along with the published Hurley photographs of Endurance to produce the models. Three models were actually built, the third was installed in a light bulb and on the ship in light bulb model page.  This model of Endurance won First Place in the Miniature Division and Best In Competition in 2001, in  the Internet Model Shipwright Society Online Competition.

Closer view of  stern area of Endurance.

Closer view of the bow and fore mast of Endurance.

 

"Tahiti"
This model is of a 30' tahiti ketch, named appropriately enough Tahiti. The model is a purely fictional vessel, commissioned by a former Iowa farm boy who dreamed of building such a boat and sailing to Tahiti. The scale of the model is at 1:96, or 1/8" = 1'. Published plans by John Hanna as well as additional information on the ketch Takuan were used to build the model. The model is housed in a glass case with maple wood trim and a planked top surface to the base. This model was built during the winter of 2001-2002. 

Closer view of  stern area of Tahiti.

Closer view of the bow of Tahiti, with a dime for size comparison.

 

 Brigantine "Newsboy"
This model is of the brigantine Newsboy.  The scale of the model is at 1:445, making the entire model about five inches long. This model was commissioned by another modeler interested in John's techniques for making miniature ships. For this reason over 1500 digital photos were taken during construction of Newsboy.  The model is housed in a glass case with maple wood and brass trim, also with a planked top surface to the base. 

This model won both a Gold Award and the Dana McCallip Award for the Best Miniature in the competition at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Annual Model Ships & Boats Competition in 2003.

Interested modelers can purchase an entire set of 4 CD's of the constuction photographs of this model from John. Email him with a request to find out the particulars. 

Amidships view of Newsboy

Stern area of Newsboy, just behind model is part of a dime for size comparison.

 

 Armed Transport "Bounty" in a bottle.
This  is a ship in bottle model of the famous Armed Transport "Bounty". The model's scale is 1:590, making the entire model less than 3" long. This model was commissioned as a gift to an avid Bounty lover. The vessel was originally built as a commerical sailing ship called Bethia. She was purchased by the British Royal Navy for the single purpose of bringing living breadfruit trees from the island of Tahiti. It was during this voyage that the mutiny occurred that made Bounty a a household word. The model is based largely on the book and plans by John McKay. Two further models were made in 3" globe light bulbs, one as shown here on commission and the other has been sold.

Light bulb model of Bounty.

Midships view of not quite completed Bounty, showing some of the deck structures, sails and rigging details.

 

 A Tahiti ketch model inside a pocket watch case.
This is a ship in a pocket watch case model of a Tahiti ketch, at a scale of 1:330. The overall diameter of the watch case itself is 2", and the length of the model's hull is just over 1". The stand for the watch case was made from apple wood.

This model was built on commission during May of 2003. 

Close up of the watch case model on stand.

Tahiti ketch model before mounting in watch case.

 

 Tahiti Ketch 
"Torea"
This is a static display model of a Tahiti Ketch named "Torea". The model was built under commision to one of the previous owners of Torea. Captain Bode owned this boat for several years during the mid-1990's and remembered it so fondly he wished a model to be built. The model was built at a scale of 1:96. Nearly all the metal fittings were constructed from brass by cutting or etching the small parts. The model is housed in a case with a maple planked bottom and sides, with glass top and sides and brass trim. The overall size of the model is approximiately six inches from tip of bowsprit to the aft end of the rudder.

This model was built on commission during Winter 2003/Spring 2004. 

View from bow area of "Torea" model

View from stern area of "Torea" model
(with dime on planked surface for size comparison)