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Ellen
Date Added: 01 October 2005
A very interesting folksy model of a 4 mast bark anchored in front of a town or city. The ship is nicely rigged and has a single banner flying from the main mast. The hull is red on the bottom and white on the sides. The name "Ellen" is painted on the bow and "Hamburg" near the stern. The deck has several cabins or hatches and a red and green light toward the bow of the ship. A small tug boat with a black hull and black and white smoke stack with black smoke coming out. The village has a long, low, stoned wall. There are 10 buildings painted white with red roofs. All are similar but different and have windows and doors drawn on. There is also a large church with steeple and a windmill. There is also an interesting building with what resembles a mast and yard with some rigging coming from the top. There is also a lighthouse and some small vegetation. Most interesting is the placement of 2 small dolls (very large in relation to the ship and buildings) in the bottle. The dolls appear to be a hard rubber compound and both are identical except one is white and one black. The white doll stands on the shore facing the ship and the black doll is in a green plastic sailboat. Why they are in the bottle and what if any significance they hold may not be known but as odd as they look in the bottle, they add to the charm and folksy nature of this model. The bottle is sealed with a cork and the top and some of the bottle neck is covered in white paint. Inside the bottle extending from the cork is a white plaque in a hand-like shape with an index finger pointing toward the model. The plaque reads: "Zum Andenken au Euren Karl 1956." This loosely translates: "To your memory Karl 1956." The you is not identified but possible "Ellen" for whom the ship is named after. Could Ellen be why the dolls are significant?
Type: 4 Mast Bark with Tug   Maker's Name: Karl
Category: Sailing Ships   Made Where: Germany
Bottle Size: 10 1/2" x 3 1/2"   Year Made: 1956
Bottle Type: Unidentified