VINTAGE AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE AFRICAN DHOW HANDMADE SAILING SHIP MODEL From KENYA

Description

You are buying a museum-quality Wooden Model Dhow Ship that measures 24 inches long,  26-1/2 inches tall from the bottom of the cradle to the mast,  and about 6 inches wide at the widest point.   This one-of-a-kind piece belongs to a individual who has traveled throughout Africa,  written books about the continent, and led safaris for decades.  We are including his written history of this piece in it's entirety.
"I found this handcrafted Dhow model ship, quite by accident, in a dark, dusty shop of an Arab Trader in the 1970's.  The ship was secreted along one of the twisting squeeze-through maze of alleyways of Old Mombasa, in Kenya.  It was in the early 1970's when I was living in East Africa operating safaris .  I immediately bartered for the Dhow, since I had never seen an authentic, handmade wooden model of and Arab Dhow before...or since.
Smaller, old sailing Dhows plied their cargo mainly along the East African coast and the island of Zanzibar.  Historians believe the word "Dhow" is of Arabic origin, referring to the lateen-rigged sailing ships of the Indian Ocean-a reference which applies to the triangular Latin rigged sails of Roman Vessels.  The highly-maneuverable, Dhow Style of Sailing Rig may have derived from explorer Vasco da Gama's travels that appeared in Mombasa and Zanzibar in the late 1400's, and had virtually the same design.  Unfortunately, nearly all old sailing dhows have now disappeared along the Swahili coast of East Africa.  Modern diesel engine powered boats have replaced them, and gone is a magical part of coastal Kenya, now mainly forgotten.  (Swahili is actually a name that means "Coastal Waters").
This rare, original hand-made model of a Swahili Dhow is a way to hold on to the romance of the Indian Ocean of Yesteryear.  (I am now in my 70's and am beginning to divest myself of many original artifacts of my lifetime in Africa".
Buyer will pay the actual shipping costs based on the size and weight of the carefully-packed and fully-insured box. You are buying only the Model Ship and Cradle-None of the other African Memorabilia items are included. We are currently unable to ship this item outside of the Lower 48 States.  Item may also be picked up at our location for no Shipping Charge.  Please email any and all questions before bidding or buying.  Thanks for Looking, and Good Luck!