Jim (James Bernard) Williams, who was the owner of this manual, was a long-time resident of Warrnambool having the opportunity to work at two notable historical businesses of the town. The first, Cramond & Dickson a drapier store established around 1852-1855 and which remained a store that traded under the same name for the longest in Victoria, before it closed its doors in 1974. The second business was Fletcher Jones a highly successful textile and clothing Australian business. Some of Jim’s spare time was devoted to the model ship making which would conjure up many fascinating stories of maritime history. In addition to Jim witnessing the tail end of ships at port in Warrnambool, his "father was as sea captain and operated his vessel in Bass Strait coastal trade between Tasmania and Victoria". The intricately detailed model made by Jim is full of precise detail. The manual and the blueprints held by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also reflect the intricate process and devotion to the task completed by Jim. The history of the shipwreck and maritime stories of the Victorian Southwest coast surrounding Warrnambool would have continued to inspire his passion. Three photos of the model and Jim, like the photo of Harold T. Bodkin in the manual, attest to the enthusiasm and enjoyment that was gained by him through this hobby. The manual opens to a photo of “Mr. Harold T. Bodkin adding finishing touches to model of the “Sovereign of the Seas”. The “Forward to Reader” which is on the next page is written by “E. R. HAAN, Technical Editor, Popular Mechanics Magazine. The forward explains the methodology used to achieve the fine detail that is part of the body of the model, by “applying imitation carvings”, and is cited as “a museum type of model”. The following page “Blueprints and Craftmats on the ‘Sovereign of the Seas’” discusses the availability of a set of blueprints to purchase separately. Followed by a description of the moulding process for the “miniature carvings”. “Historical Notes of Interest on the “Sovereign of the Seas (1637)” follow on the next page. The manual is divided into the following parts from pages 8 to 71: “Part I – Shaping the Hull/Part II – The Rudder, Quarter Galleries and Gunports/Part III Wales, Gunport Covers and Initial Ornamentation/Part V – Beakhead Decoration, Bulkhead and Rails, Etc./Part VI Carvings, Lanterns, Knights, Bitts and Painting/Part VII – Details of Mast Construction/Part VIII – Standing Rigging/Part IX – Running Rigging and Final Details. All of these instructions include photographs and detailed graphs. Then instructions on “How to Read and Use Ship-Model Drawings”, “The Shop-Model Maker’s Tools”, and “Simplified Ship-in-a-Bottle”. This is finished off with “Helpful Hints….” And numerous pages of advertising. Some adverts include aids for completing the “Sovereign of the Seas” model. Part I uses blue and black ink to illustrate a dramatic picture of the “Sovereign”, otherwise all print is in black ink on buff paper. This book in significant to the collection as it was donated along with other tools and blueprints which have been used by the donor of the "Sovereign of the Seas" model ship. It also connects with the wider community in that it is related to historical maritime interest and the donor, Jim Williams is also connected to other significant retail and manufacturing businesses of the past in Warrnambool. This manual has been covered with brown paper, including an extra strip for the spine. The front has a watermark at the top middle, some pencilled compass circles segmented into eight parts across the area and a small amount of script writing. The back also has the same type of compass circles and some other small shapes. There are also grease marks. The cover has a patina adding to variations of colour to the paper indicative of the book being handled often. The title page reads “Sovereign of the Seas” in an Old English font. This is followed by a lithograph print around 1 inch square of a ship at full sale. By HAROLD T. BODKIN/Charter President of the Ship Model Club of Chicago/Copyright, 1933, By Popular Mechanics Company/POPULAR MECHANICS PRESS/CHICAGO/Printed in the U.S.A. By HAROLD T. BODKIN/Charter President of the Ship Model Club of Chicago/Copyright, 1933, By Popular Mechanics Company/POPULAR MECHANICS PRESS/CHICAGO/Printed in the U.S.A.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, model ship, vessel sovereign of the seas, jim williams, james bernard williams, the forth tasmania, freda williams, heather williams, phyllis bowditch, fletcher jones staff 1936, 17th century sailing ship, cramond and dickson, sovereign of the seas, royal sovereign, sovereign, charles 1, fletcher jones, warrnambool breakwater

These prints include large sailing ships that were also referred to as Clippers and Tall Ships. These ships were used to transport cargo and passengers across the world in the 19th century. They were powered purely by harnessing the wind. It could take three to four months to sail in this manner from England to Australia. On many occasions the ships were wrecked, often close to their destination, through errors of navigation. The method of production of the original images is over a century old. The Melbourne publisher of this portfolio book, Newcraft Publicity, describes the contents as follows-' Magnificent Clipper Ships: Clipper ships in the line of sail make the most romantic and spectacular pictorial chapter of marine history. This collection depicting early clippers and other types of sailing ships were originally fine engravings on wooden printing blocks used in newspapers a century ago. They were taken directly from the original newspaper prints, and reproduced in enamel inks to provide a choice of fine line prints suitable for framing. LIST OF PRINTS- The New Australian Clipper "BLUE JACKET" The Clipper Ship “CHRYSOLIER” The “GAUNTLET” Clipper Ship The New American Clipper “GREAT REPUBLIC” The Clipper Ship “GUIDING STAR” New Emigrant Ship “HESPERIDES” for the South Australian Line Capt. Beatson’s Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin – the “ISABEL” The Black Ball Line Clipper Ship “JAMES BAINES” The “MERCHANT PRINCE” – Australian Clipper The White Star Line Clipper Ship “MORNING LIGHT” The Aberdeen Clipper Built Barque “PHOENICIAN” New Australian Clipper Ship the “ROYAL FAMILY” The “SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS” American Clipper The New Iron Clipper Built Ship “TAYLEUR” for Australia H.M. New Frigate “THETIS” The American Clipper Ship “WITCH OF THE WAVE” ABOUT THE PUBLISHER- The Newcraft Publicity was a Melbourne business that operated in the 1960s at 243 Collins Street, Melbourne.This portfolio book of clipper ship prints is historically significant as it shows an important part of Australia's history, It includes some of the shipping lines famous in the 19th century for transporting passengers and goods to Australia. The prints are also significant for their origin in the carved wooden blocks used a century ago for creating images for the newspapers of the time. Book is also significant from being one of a limited edition of books produced. There are copes in both the Victorian State Library and the National Library of Australia.The Line of Sail is a portfolio of sixteen fine line, black and white prints on paper. The subject is clipper ships. The covers are paper-covered card, coloured a strong blue with white line images and text. The image side of the pages has a sheen, the back is matt. Each print has a caption. The top of the book is stapled and bound with grey tape. Produced by Newcraft Publicity, Melbourne. Limited Edition - Copy Number 086. Stamped on front cover "086"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lithographs, newscraft publicity, book, the line of sail, dlipper ships, tall shipos, sailing ships, wood block print, newspaper drawings, newcraft productions, newcraft melbourne, portfolio of clipper ships, limited edition, wooden engravings, magnificent clipper ships