Model of a Topmast with a Pawl c. 1840 - 1850

This wooden model of a topmast with a pawl was produced at Rijkswerf Vlissingen, the Dutch state shipyard. Shipyards were not simply places of production, but also sites of immense technological innovation and social organization. We see in this model the intricate workings of 19th-century naval engineering; a to-scale model showing the parts of a topmast, it gives a sense of the immense complexity of seafaring technology. The Rijkswerf Vlissingen played a crucial role in the Netherlands’ naval power during a period of intense colonial and maritime activity. It produced ships that enforced trade routes and projected military power across the globe. The shipyard also functioned as a place of social mobility, with generations of workers passing down skills and knowledge, becoming skilled artisans in the process. The museum context invites a deeper look into the social, cultural, and economic dynamics behind this object. Researchers might consider the archives of the shipyard, historical accounts of naval technology, and oral histories of shipyard workers to get a better sense of the importance of this piece.