Lighthouse Collectibles and Nautical Decor

As anyone with a hobby(habit) knows, that hobby can drain your cash in a hurry. I decided I needed a way to make my hobby pay for itself. I have sold and traded many of my lighthouses at flea markets collector meets and E-bay duplicates only of course. Just recently I have ventured into the world of Internet marketing. Wow what an adventure this has been, easy way to add to my collection and help others find that special lighthouse for their own collection. I have an intrest in other collectibles as well, nautical items, diecast models and cars just to name a few.

I am curently working on an article about this amazing artist. I have loved his work for as long as I can remember and I hope I can share what I know and feel about this wonderful artist. Check back soon for more. Roger Edit; I have decided not to do my article, I am not a writer and know I could never do justice to this great artist. However I know someone who can, I would like for all my visitors to PLEASE follow the link in the right hand column to Karens Thomas Kinkade Art Store for a really wonderful look at this artist and his work. Thanks Roger

Lighthouses are only the begining of a nautical theme collection. The longer I look for lighthouses, the more Nautical items I run into and find I just have to add something else to my collection. A couple of nice additions would be a fine compass or ships clock. I have seen many beautiful examples of these and they tend to be very well made to stand the rigors of time. Mariners always demanded the best of workmanship in their tools and that is just what a clock or compass was-a tool. Of course I like collecting tools to. Some of the nautical items you may find can include carpenters tools, navigational tools such as a sextant and period maps. Any of these can help you with that nautical decor theme room or office. Fishing nets and floats are more items that fit well with a nautical theme. Other collectibles might include scrimshaw, brass or copper items such as cooking vessels. Fine china and glassware could be your area of interest and even clothing. As you see the options for collecting nautical collectibles can be very broad, the more you look the more you find . Happy hunting. Roger

Buy Nautical Collectibles

A great way to top off that nautical collection is with a wooden model ship. There are so many fine examples available on the web I am sure we can find what you need.
They are a beautiful addition to any decor and you can find model ships of most any size to fit your needs. You will be amazed at the detail built into the models available, from working rigging to the figures working the ships.
For some very nice collectible model ships check out my website for collectible nautical items below Thanks for visiting Roger Model Ships

Another must have for the nautical collection. A truly amazing art form,I am working on an article on the history of scrimshaw and some of the pieces I have found. Many examples of this fine art can be found on the web, again Ebay is my best source of these.

Scrimshaw, the art of carving in bone or ivory was invented around 200 AD by the native cultures of the Pacific North West. Using the bones and teeth of animals they hunted for food a new art form was born. While other cultures the world over worked with bone and ivory, the unique style of the North American natives made scrimshaw an original American art.

In the early 1800's scrimshaw art caught favor with the sailors and whale men of the time. In particular the whalers on voyages lasting as long as 5 years and blessed with a lot of free time to devote to the art. Whale teeth and jawbones were the common medium to work with as there was a large supply of these to go around. On some ships part of the sailors pay would have been in whales teeth, which he would then carve with scenes or use for decorating other items.

Antique scrimshaw can be found depicting sailing scenes or about anything the artist found interesting. Often these scrimshaw pieces are found as decorations on walking sticks, clocks and many other nautical collectibles. These fine carvings of a day long past will be a valuable addition to your nautical collection and a great conversation piece. The price of antique scrimshaw can range from under a hundred dollars to many thousands, but whatever the cost, scrimshaw is a must have for the serious collector of early nautical collectibles. However the value of this wonderful art form will remain high, so it can be considered a good investment.
Scrimshaw

Ships Bell a Nautical Collectible

The ships bell has for centuries been used for alarms, signaling and keeping time. All of these being important in the daily routine aboard an ocean vessel.

History
First developed during the Bronze Age, bells cast in metal were broght to a high degree of quality in China. Begining in the Middle Ages of Europe, bells were used by religious orders to signal services and announcements and to regulate activities somewhat like the ships bell was later used on naval vessels.

Keeping Time
Before the chronometer came into use, time on board a ship was measured with a half-hour glass. A sailor was given the duty of turning the glass and sounding a bell each time the glass was turned. From this function came the tradition of striking the bell once on the end of the first half hour of the four hour watch, twice on the hour and so on, until eight bells indicated the end of the four hour watch. The process, of striking the bells, is still in use today as it was as early as the 18th century.

Other Uses for The Ships Bell

Signaling
The ships bell is also used as a signaling device during inclement weather such as fog when a vessel would be hard to see.

Alarm
Used to indicate a fire by ringing the bell quickly for 5 seconds, followed by 1, 2, or 3 strikes to indicate the location of the fire. 1 forward 2 amidships and 3 aft.

Today a great many people have become collectors of the ships bell. They are also widely used in decorating the home or office with a nautical theme. As with all nautical collectibles my favorite way to find them is browsing through the little seaside shops in the coastal areas when time permits. Another great way to find a selection of collectibles are the many sources on the internet, easy and fast from the many online dealers and collectors.