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Bottle 709 - Ada Fears
Date Added: 06 May 2009

This model is based on the Chesapeake Bay skipjack fishing vessel "Ada Fears". The actual vessel was one of the last skipjacks built for the oyster trade in 1968. She bears the license number "17" on her shrouds. One can find the history on these craft through Wikipedia or through the web site www.skipjackadafears.com . The model is made of aspen with a basswood deck and walnut trim. The crew is getting ready for a days work. One crew member is getting the gear from the hatch, just aft of the mast. Another crew member is laying out a coil of rope needed for oyster dredging. The skipper is at the helm guiding the vessel under a fresh breeze. The traditional push boat is securely fastened to the stern davits. The empty bottle was purchased in an antique store in Putnam, CT for $45. The glass is hand blown and the seam on the bottle does not protrude beyond the base of the neck. It is estimated that the bottle was manufactured around 1885, which incidentally was the peak of the oyster trade on the Chesapeake Bay. The bottle is embossed with the name A.L. Blair, Cromwell CT. Nothing is else known about the original bottle manufacturer. After 125 years or so, the bottle is now re-filled and was given as a gift to my sister and brother-in-law who reside near Annapolis, MD.
Type: Chesapeake Bay Skipjack   Maker's Name: Sheridan, Bill
Category: Sailing Ships   Made Where: Southington, Connecticut
Bottle Size: 1 Quart (1 Liter)   Year Made: 2009
Bottle Type: Antique circa 1880's  

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