An (probably) East Indiamen 18thC./19th C ship model

An (probably) East Indiamen 18thC./19th C ship model, wood, metal and other materials, French, late 18th C./early 19th C., various restorations, ancient and modern; as can be inferred from the notes, the frame must have been restored at the end of the 19th century; the model was again restored by an expert in 2008. Notes: 1. Model kept in a display case and in possession of the same Family since at least the middle of the 19th C. and probably since the time of its construction, that is, late 18th C./ early 19th C. 2. Cabral Moncada Leilões acknowledges and thanks Captain Leonel Esteves Fernandes for his expert opinion, which is transcribed below: a) Date of the model Considering the design of the 'beque' and stern galleries, the ship represented should be from around 1800. The bow figure is inclined, and there are no projecting balconies (as opposed to, for example, mid 18th C. ships, which have a vertical figurehead and a protruding balcony in the upper gallery); b) Dimensions It is a large ship. The two stern galleries were only possible on the largest ships; c) Merchant or war nature? The general arrangement is similar to the aforementioned mid 18th C. ships. Continuous floor, from the sterncastle to the bow, consisting of wide aisles on both sides. However, there is something different between this ship and the warships: the battery is located in the upper deck only. It is an arrangement similar to those of the large merchant ships of the English East India Company (East Indiamen). As the ship represented is similar to the latter, it is most likely a large merchant ship of the India trade. The nationality is unknown, but it doesn't look like English; it will probably be French, which is in fact consistent with the traditional understanding of the owning family that it is a Napoleonic model; d) Model construction date Everything indicates that the model is contemporary with the ship represented, and it is clear that its builder was familiar with the ship he portrayed; e) Masts and sails Masts and sails seem to be later than the hull; in fact, although it is a professional work, they do not correspond to the hull: the topsails are broken (high and low), and on top there are two more sails - five sails per mast at a time when three were customary. The barque rig is also unlikely, although it was already used on some ships at the time. In conclusion: the original masts will have broken over time and whoever restored them placed new masts, as they were used at the end of the 19th century; f) Deck Heavily repainted. It is unlikely that the existant ship's boat is the original, but it seems like a well-resolved issue. The main doubts concern the capstans and the pumps: it is not possible to say that the large capstan was not maneuvered on the upper deck, it is however very unlikely that the fore capstan would be placed in front of the foremast. We are probably dealing with arrangements in use at the end of the 19th century; g) Conclusion A good model, over 200 years old, but, as expected, it has suffered the vicissitudes of time. It has the additional interest of being probably a model of a large merchant ship, which is rare. 3. Accompanied by a modern display case, made of wood and glass., Dim. - (modelo) 153 x 123 x 59 cm; (vitrine) 175 x 153 x 79 cm