the Ship Models of SVEN O. JENSEN

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Jensen,like a good many other Norwegians, went to sea at a tender age and took up model-making as naturally as breathing. But with a difference... as he is an artist, a perfectionist, and a history-lover, so that his hobby continued to develop in the years that he became a"land-lubber", a professional restoration builder in the U.S.A.

Jensen takes from 1 to 3 years to complete a model. They are all hand-built from plans after months of research into books, measurements, photographs and sources of materials. Wood lions, seamen, and deck- details are carved, painted, glued; thousands of copper pieces are layered on a hull with tiny copper nails; and typically the rigging of a model takes from 2 to 5 months alone.

From left to right: the deck, base model, and full rigging of the copper-hulled CUTTY SARK, 46" l x 29" h.

Jensen began making models in earnest as an exhibitor of our gallery RENAISSANCE in Portsmouth, NH in the 70's. When he acceptd his first commission-- the Bluenose-- which took almost a year to complete, he was working on the top of a sewing-machine while his hull-planks soaked in a bathtub. He now resides in Pennsylvania, where most of his models, which are of museum quality, occupy their own individual, spot-lit wood- and- plexi showcases.

The Norwegian Lion, a Dutch Indiaman of the late 18th-century; comprised of 2,783 pieces. The hull is approximately 3 feet long and is covered with minute copper plates with copper nails.

Jensen has not (until now) exhibited his ships nor offered any for sale in over 25 years. We have priced them at $ 12,000 and up, depending on intricacy and the number of years it took to make one. Commissions would start at $ 15,000. Price would include delivery of the model in a wood-and-plexi show case in the U.S. If you have an interest in seeing these models in more detail, a series of photographs can be sent. If you wish to view the actual model before purchasing, that can be arranged, either in New England or in Pennsylvania where they are made.

Above. from left to right: the deck of the Niagara and two views of the Lexington, a ship of the Revolutionary era, 17"l x 14" h.

Below: at left, the St. Felipe, 37" l x 34" h; at right, the rigging of the Caroline, a ship of the era of King George III. It takes up to a year to complete the rigging of a ship of this size and of course, it is accurate in every detail.

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We would like to talk to anyone who is genuinely interested in viewing or discussing Jensen's work.

These are the Ship Models of a Master Craftsman.

If you have questions or comments you may contact us by clicking here:

or CALL ARTSHIP at 508-394-1789.