Wasa Medium FULLY ASSEMBLED Exclusive Edition Model Ship

This is a museum-quality, FULLY ASSEMBLED replica of Sweden's ill-fated warship, which sank after sailing less than a mile into its maiden voyage in 1628. The Wasa, raised in 1961 from its watery grave, is now one of Sweden's most popular tourist attractions. This is an "Exclusive Edition" where the model has a unique serial number etched into the hull, which allows us to identify the production date, the material used, and all other production information of a model.

Master craftsmen using historical photographs, drawings or original plans meticulously handcraft these highly detailed wood models from scratch. They are built to scale with high-grade wood such as western red cedar, rosewood, and mahogany. They are 100% hand built individually using the plank-on-frame construction method and are similar to the building of actual ships. Each model requires hundreds of hours to finish and must go through a demanding quality control process before leaving the workshop.

This amazing Wasa model features plank on frame, three decks, and two and a half rows of ferocious cannons on each side of the ship. A unique bowsprit design that consists of brass statues and crafted brass ornaments on the panels. The front bowsprit and three large masts are connected securely using advanced rigging and lines painstakingly knotted and fastened by hand. Each yard has attached hand-stitched rolled-up sails made of fine linen. Metal anchors and a wooden rudder are visible on the front and rear of the ship. On the deck, there are metal stationed cannons, authentic hand-built lifeboats with ribs and planks, a wooden cabin, and many other handcrafted ornaments. There is also an exquisite detailed admiral's quarter on the stern with spectacular brass ornaments.

This model comes standard with a solid wood base and brass nameplate. It'll make a perfect gift for a home or office decorator, boat enthusiast, or passionate collector.

Vasa was built top-heavy and had insufficient ballast. Despite an obvious lack of stability in port, it was allowed to set sail and foundered only a few minutes after it first encountered a wind stronger than a breeze. The impulsive move to set sail was the result of a combination of factors: Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, who was leading the army on the continent on the date of its maiden voyage, was impatient to see it join the Baltic fleet in the Thirty Years War; at the same time, the king's subordinates lacked the political courage to discuss the ships structural problems frankly or to have the maiden voyage postponed.

During the 1961 recovery, thousands of artifacts and the remains of at least 15 people were found in and around the hull of the Vasa by marine archaeologists. Among the many items found were clothing, weapons, cannons, tools, coins, cutlery, food, drink, and six of the ten sails. No expense was spared in decorating and equipping the Vasa, which was also one of the largest and most heavily armed warships of its time.

L: 29.5 W: 9 H: 28 Inches