Cruise Ship History: Ship models of the famous liners NIEUW AMSTERDAM, TITANIC, REX and AMERICA are more than decorative art. For celebrity collectors such as actor Nicholas Cage they are a living history.

A youtube video showing a wonderful lifelike model of the legendary ocean liner SS Rex cruising “at sea.”

Ship models have been considered a legitimate decorative art form for the past four hundred years throughout northern Europe and more recently in 19th and 20th centuries in North America.

Of course ship models have been prized objects of art since 2000 BC in Egypt and Mesopotamia. As appreciation for marine model artists – known by name and specializing in original, conscientious research as well as highest quality construction methods and aesthetic appeal – has grown, their models’ value as works of art has grown accordingly.

Actor Nicholas Cage is a well-known collector.

This value is recognized and celebrated not only by leading museums specializing in maritime art but also by major international museums such as the British Museum, the Louvre, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Smithsonian Institution, all of which exhibit ship models in their collections.

ModelShipMaster.com is one of the ultimate masters of this art with the largest and fineest collection of model ships.

These carefully crafted works of art provide the ultimate in detail of these ocean going palaces.  For more information contact their website (click above), email them at: services@modelshipmaster.com or phone them at (866) ART 1 ART.

(Photos © 2008 Global Art Collections –  all rights reserved.)

 Italian Line’s SS REX (1931-1947)

Holland America Line’s SS NIEUW AMSTERDAM (1937-1974)

RMS Titanic – The  fatal iceberg of April 14, 1912, during her maiden voyage, when she hit the iceberg. 

United States Line’s SS AMERICA (1940-1994)