As well as restoring boats, we also carry out restoration work of items and models for individual clients and museums. This work can be even more difficult than the restoration of real boats because of the objects and materials can be extremely delicate. On the other hand, original models are an invaluable source of information, especially when they represent fishing boats or equipment that no longer exist.

Model of a tartana, MSNV.

Assignment: Restoration of a model of a tartana

Client: Museo Storico Navale di Venezia (Naval History Museum, Venice)

Date: 1995

The model of a tartana kept at the Naval History Museum in Venice is without doubt the most beautiful in existence: a splendid example of scientific modelmaking made in the 19th century, that still has the original caption card with the traditional nomenclature. The restoration work included cleaning the model, taking measurements and making drawings, and correctly positioning the sails, nets and moveable parts.

Model of a tartana, Museo della Laguna Sud, Chioggia

Assignment: Restoration of a model of a tartana

Client: Museo della Laguna Sud (Museum of the Southern Lagoon), Chioggia

Date: 1997

This is a naive model, i.e. it was made by people who had knowledge of the boat, but it is not correctly proportioned as is the MSNV model. It was surveyed, photographed and cleaned, and the masts, sails and removable parts were placed in their correct positions.

Pannels with nails and caece

Assignment: Restoration of two models and 19th century fishing equipment 

Client: Naval History Museum, Venice

Date: 1993 - 2005

The Naval History Museum in Venice has the largest and most complete collection of models and fishing equipment. They were made at the end of the nineteenth century by Angelo Marella for Count Alessandro Pericle Ninni to participate in the Universal Exposition which took place in the most important European capitals. There are modela od vessels, nets, nails, equipment, containers for fish, SEGNAVENTO, sails, ropes, etc.

All of the items were in an increasingly poor state of conservation and badly classified, so the first step we took was to find the correct nomenclature with the help of experts, fishermen and, above all, from manuscripts left by the author which were then compiled in the book Annotazioni Pescherecce which we co-edited with Luigi Divari. Each object was then surveyed, photographed and restored with traditional and reversable methods. 

Pannel with samples of ropes

Pannels with LINGUETTE and morei

Segnavento, ossia Penelo, per bragosso (bragozzo).

Model of a bragagna with three masts.

Diorama of a sandolo of the river Piave.

Fishing boats

Contenitori in vimini per il pesce.

Burceli e marote, used to store fish alive.