In response to evolving domestic opinion, eMedals Inc has made the conscious decision to remove the presentation of German Third Reich historical artifacts from our online catalogue. For three decades, eMedals Inc has made an effort to preserve history in all its forms. As historians and researchers, we have managed sensitive articles and materials with the greatest of care and respect for their past and present social context. We acknowledge the growing sentiments put forth by the Canadian public and have taken proactive actions to address this opinion.
eMedals offers rapid domestic and international shipping. Orders received prior to 12:00pm (EST) will be shipped on the same business day.* Orders placed on Canadian Federal holidays will be dispatched the subsequent business day. Courier tracking numbers are provided for all shipments. All items purchased from eMedals can be returned for a full monetary refund or merchandise credit, providing the criteria presented in our Terms & Conditions are met. *Please note that the addition of a COA may impact dispatch time.
Shipping Details
eMedals offers rapid domestic and international shipping. Orders received prior to 12:00pm (EST) will be shipped on the same business day.* Orders placed on Canadian Federal holidays will be dispatched the subsequent business day. Courier tracking numbers are provided for all shipments. All items purchased from eMedals can be returned for a full monetary refund or merchandise credit, providing the criteria presented in our Terms & Conditions are met. *Please note that the addition of a COA may impact dispatch time.
Description
This is the first edition set issued by the Comet Metal Products Company, the second edition set having more ships in it. All vessels are marked on either the starboard side or the bottom. Featured are eight models, each fabricated from a non-magnetic die-cast metal, the seven ships finished in battleship gray, the submarine finished in black. The seven ships include the Aircraft Carrier (CV) U.S.S. Enterprise (maker marked "COMET", marked "N.Y." and stamped in black ink "ENTERPRISE" on the bottom, 23 mm x 202 mm, the island control tower loose versus the base of the ship), the Battleship (BB) North Carolina Class U.S. (maker marked "COMET" and marked "1/43" on the bottom, marked "NORTH CAROLINA Class U.S. BB" on the starboard side, 27 mm x 188 mm), the Destroyer (DD) Gridley Class U.S. (marked "GRIDLEY CLASS U.S. DD" on the starboard side, 8 mm x 85 mm), the Seaplane Tender (AVP) Barnegat Class U.S. (marked "BARNEGAT CLASS U.S. AVP" on the starboard side, 9 mm x 78 mm), the Heavy Cruiser (CA) New Orleans Class U.S. (stamped in black ink "SAN FRANCISCO" on the bottom, 15 mm x 147 mm), the Light Cruiser (CL) Phoenix Class U.S. (marked "HOMO" on the bottom, marked "PHOENIX U.S. CLASS CL" on the starboard side, 15 mm x 150 mm); and the Destroyer Tender (AD) Dixie Class U.S. (marked "DIXIE CLASS U.S. AD" on the starboard side, 16 mm x 130 mm); while the eighth item is the Submarine (SS) Sargo Class U.S. (the marking having worn off, 6 mm x 63 mm). Each vessel rests loosely upon its own wooden paddled-shaped mounting stick, the upper of which is finished in dark blue, the submarine's stick with an area painted in white to house the vessel, the narrow end of each stick labelled with the particular vessel's type and class name and the scale 1" - 110', the sticks measuring 33 mm wide x 253 mm in length each. The mounting sticks are housed in a wooden case with a stained finish, each of the sticks sliding into grooves cut into the wooden pieces separating the models, the middle section with two sets of grooves housing the submarine above the seaplane. The bottom of the case is stamped in black ink "TRAY & MOUNTS CREATED BY / KAY DISPLAYS, INC. / GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN / EXECUTIVE & SALES OFFICES / 9 EAST 40th ST. NEW YORK, N.Y. / MADE IN U.S.A." and measures 255 mm wide x 312 mm depth x 53 mm in height. Most of the mounting sticks exhibit separation at the narrow end, exposing the three levels of wood, the U.S.S. Enterprise stick showing wear over the type at the narrow end, all with no pins to hold the vessels in place to the sticks. There is paint chipping evident on the submarine, the gray finish on the seven ships intact. Dirt visible in the recessed areas on the ships. Better than very fine.
Footnote: The United States Navy found that models were useful for wargaming and as an aid in teaching ship identification. At the beginning of the 1940’s, it became apparent that ship identification models would be a necessary aid, to supplement the identification manuals then in use. These pocket-size "Basic Field Manual’s", produced by the War Department, were essentially picture and plan books that covered the ships of the various naval powers. Some of the pictures in the manuals are of models that were specifically produced for the purpose. The Office of Naval Intelligence published an extensive series of identification manuals during the war years and pictures of models continued to be used for target angle pictures and identification. These models were initially built at the David Taylor Model Basin in Carderock, Maryland, and in 1941 by a Mr. Van Riper, a professional model builder in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. An article in the January 1944 issue of Popular Mechanics shows women at the David Taylor facility making 1:500 scale ship models. During the Second World War, the U.S. Navy contracted with four manufacturers to produce ship identification models at a scale of 1:1200 for use by the various armed forces and the merchant marine. The earliest manufacturer was a small company with four to eight employees located in the Bronx area of New York City. It was known as the Bessarabis Company, being named after its founder who is reported to have emigrated from Finland in 1939-1940. Bessarabis produced an unknown number of sets, probably less than 1,000, before their contract was terminated. Bessarabis produced two sets of United States Navy ship models, each consisting of thirty models.These models are not attached to mounting boards but are wrapped in soft paper and inserted into 27 individual cardboard boxes. Three of the boxes each containing two models and all boxes are stamped with the name of the model or models it contains. The models for each set are carried in a wooden case closed with a sliding top. Bessarabis also produced one set of twenty-nine models of German Navy ships. These models are also found in individual cardboard boxes stamped with the name of the ship it contains. The boxes are carried as a set in a wooden case holding thirty boxes of two different sizes. Comet Metal Products Company produced the majority of the models used by the services during the war, as per this example. The company was founded by the Slonim brothers, who had emigrated from Germany to England, via Sweden, about 1938. While in England, it is reported that they worked for TreMo, a manufacturer of small scale ship models, before emigrating to the United States and establishing Comet Metal Products company. Comet apparently produced individual models for the services as early as 1/42, a model of the Curtiss (AV) carries this date, these early models are painted a lighter gray than models found in the later sets. Army Air Force stock numbers found on individual model boxes indicate that these models were also issued individually. Comet's first set of models contains only eight models of U.S. Navy ships. These models are carried in a small wooden case with their mounting sticks sliding into grooves cut into the pieces separating the models. The case is stained instead of being painted and is of a different type than any of the other sets. The bottom of the case is stamped with the Kay Displays, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan maker mark. Some cases may also have a stamped U.S. Navy anchor. The dark blue mounting sticks are marked with the type and class name and a scale of 1" = 110’. The models are actually built closer to a scale of 1:1250; some may be dated 1/43 which would indicate an update of earlier undated models, these scale close to 1:1200 scale. Comet and South Salem companies jointly produced models for a set containing forty-seven U.S. Navy ships models. Comet manufactured thirty of the models and South Salem manufactured the remaining seventeen. All of the models are identified with a name or class name and type cast into the starboard side of the hull, with one exception, the model of the Yorktown class has the identification cast into the port side. The Comet models are all marked 1/43 on the bottom of the hull except for the Bogue class which is marked 2/43. The South Salem models have no bottom of hull markings. All of the plywood mounting boards for the Comet models are stamped with the ship name and "Mfg. By Comet Metal Products Co., Inc., Richmond Hill, N.Y.". The mounting boards for the South Salem models are printed with the ship class name & type and "South Salem Studios, South Salem, N.Y". South Salem Studios was a small shop owned by Mr. Enzo Yocca who emigrated from France prior to the First World War. He specialized in miniatures and with the outbreak of the Second World War, offered the services of his shop to the Navy. South Salem also received another contract to produce a set of sixteen models of merchant ships that are dated 2/45. They continued producing models under these contracts throughout the war but for reasons as yet unclear they received no further contracts for 1:1200 scale models. They also produced a set of "Auxiliary Pocket Models" of merchant & warships in 1:2000 & 1:5000 scale. Beginning in late 1942, Comet received additional contracts to produce a set of fifteen German Navy ships models, two sets totaling twenty-eight Japanese Navy ship models and one set of twenty-five Japanese Marus (merchant ship models). In late 1945 or early 1946, Comet bought out South Salem and may have continued selling models under that name. The CometJapanese Marus are not the same models as the South Salem merchant ships. The Merchant Ships of All Nations, sold by Comet at the end of the war, are renamed Japanese Maru models. Comet continued to produce models for sale to the public well into the post war years and greatly expanded the number of models offered. In mid-1942, the H.A. Framburg & Company of Chicago received a contract to manufacture a set of twenty-nine models of British Navy ships. This contract was followed by one in 1944 to produce a set with sixteen additional models, twelve of British ships and four of French ships. Framburg's final contract was to produced a set with fourteen models of U.S. Navy ships. Framburg ceased production at the end of the war and sold their surplus stock to the public. These companies also produced sets of models at a scale of 1:500, commonly called "Teacher Scale", which contained models representative of most warship classes. They contained about half the number of models found in the 1:1200 scale sets. (C: 152)
This is the first edition set issued by the Comet Metal Products Company, the second edition set having more ships in it. All vessels are marked on either the starboard side or the bottom. Featured are eight models, each fabricated from a non-magnetic die-cast metal, the seven ships finished in battleship gray, the submarine finished in black. The seven ships include the Aircraft Carrier (CV) U.S.S. Enterprise (maker marked "COMET", marked "N.Y." and stamped in black ink "ENTERPRISE" on the bottom, 23 mm x 202 mm, the island control tower loose versus the base of the ship), the Battleship (BB) North Carolina Class U.S. (maker marked "COMET" and marked "1/43" on the bottom, marked "NORTH CAROLINA Class U.S. BB" on the starboard side, 27 mm x 188 mm), the Destroyer (DD) Gridley Class U.S. (marked "GRIDLEY CLASS U.S. DD" on the starboard side, 8 mm x 85 mm), the Seaplane Tender (AVP) Barnegat Class U.S. (marked "BARNEGAT CLASS U.S. AVP" on the starboard side, 9 mm x 78 mm), the Heavy Cruiser (CA) New Orleans Class U.S. (stamped in black ink "SAN FRANCISCO" on the bottom, 15 mm x 147 mm), the Light Cruiser (CL) Phoenix Class U.S. (marked "HOMO" on the bottom, marked "PHOENIX U.S. CLASS CL" on the starboard side, 15 mm x 150 mm); and the Destroyer Tender (AD) Dixie Class U.S. (marked "DIXIE CLASS U.S. AD" on the starboard side, 16 mm x 130 mm); while the eighth item is the Submarine (SS) Sargo Class U.S. (the marking having worn off, 6 mm x 63 mm). Each vessel rests loosely upon its own wooden paddled-shaped mounting stick, the upper of which is finished in dark blue, the submarine's stick with an area painted in white to house the vessel, the narrow end of each stick labelled with the particular vessel's type and class name and the scale 1" - 110', the sticks measuring 33 mm wide x 253 mm in length each. The mounting sticks are housed in a wooden case with a stained finish, each of the sticks sliding into grooves cut into the wooden pieces separating the models, the middle section with two sets of grooves housing the submarine above the seaplane. The bottom of the case is stamped in black ink "TRAY & MOUNTS CREATED BY / KAY DISPLAYS, INC. / GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN / EXECUTIVE & SALES OFFICES / 9 EAST 40th ST. NEW YORK, N.Y. / MADE IN U.S.A." and measures 255 mm wide x 312 mm depth x 53 mm in height. Most of the mounting sticks exhibit separation at the narrow end, exposing the three levels of wood, the U.S.S. Enterprise stick showing wear over the type at the narrow end, all with no pins to hold the vessels in place to the sticks. There is paint chipping evident on the submarine, the gray finish on the seven ships intact. Dirt visible in the recessed areas on the ships. Better than very fine.
Footnote: The United States Navy found that models were useful for wargaming and as an aid in teaching ship identification. At the beginning of the 1940’s, it became apparent that ship identification models would be a necessary aid, to supplement the identification manuals then in use. These pocket-size "Basic Field Manual’s", produced by the War Department, were essentially picture and plan books that covered the ships of the various naval powers. Some of the pictures in the manuals are of models that were specifically produced for the purpose. The Office of Naval Intelligence published an extensive series of identification manuals during the war years and pictures of models continued to be used for target angle pictures and identification. These models were initially built at the David Taylor Model Basin in Carderock, Maryland, and in 1941 by a Mr. Van Riper, a professional model builder in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. An article in the January 1944 issue of Popular Mechanics shows women at the David Taylor facility making 1:500 scale ship models. During the Second World War, the U.S. Navy contracted with four manufacturers to produce ship identification models at a scale of 1:1200 for use by the various armed forces and the merchant marine. The earliest manufacturer was a small company with four to eight employees located in the Bronx area of New York City. It was known as the Bessarabis Company, being named after its founder who is reported to have emigrated from Finland in 1939-1940. Bessarabis produced an unknown number of sets, probably less than 1,000, before their contract was terminated. Bessarabis produced two sets of United States Navy ship models, each consisting of thirty models.These models are not attached to mounting boards but are wrapped in soft paper and inserted into 27 individual cardboard boxes. Three of the boxes each containing two models and all boxes are stamped with the name of the model or models it contains. The models for each set are carried in a wooden case closed with a sliding top. Bessarabis also produced one set of twenty-nine models of German Navy ships. These models are also found in individual cardboard boxes stamped with the name of the ship it contains. The boxes are carried as a set in a wooden case holding thirty boxes of two different sizes. Comet Metal Products Company produced the majority of the models used by the services during the war, as per this example. The company was founded by the Slonim brothers, who had emigrated from Germany to England, via Sweden, about 1938. While in England, it is reported that they worked for TreMo, a manufacturer of small scale ship models, before emigrating to the United States and establishing Comet Metal Products company. Comet apparently produced individual models for the services as early as 1/42, a model of the Curtiss (AV) carries this date, these early models are painted a lighter gray than models found in the later sets. Army Air Force stock numbers found on individual model boxes indicate that these models were also issued individually. Comet's first set of models contains only eight models of U.S. Navy ships. These models are carried in a small wooden case with their mounting sticks sliding into grooves cut into the pieces separating the models. The case is stained instead of being painted and is of a different type than any of the other sets. The bottom of the case is stamped with the Kay Displays, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan maker mark. Some cases may also have a stamped U.S. Navy anchor. The dark blue mounting sticks are marked with the type and class name and a scale of 1" = 110’. The models are actually built closer to a scale of 1:1250; some may be dated 1/43 which would indicate an update of earlier undated models, these scale close to 1:1200 scale. Comet and South Salem companies jointly produced models for a set containing forty-seven U.S. Navy ships models. Comet manufactured thirty of the models and South Salem manufactured the remaining seventeen. All of the models are identified with a name or class name and type cast into the starboard side of the hull, with one exception, the model of the Yorktown class has the identification cast into the port side. The Comet models are all marked 1/43 on the bottom of the hull except for the Bogue class which is marked 2/43. The South Salem models have no bottom of hull markings. All of the plywood mounting boards for the Comet models are stamped with the ship name and "Mfg. By Comet Metal Products Co., Inc., Richmond Hill, N.Y.". The mounting boards for the South Salem models are printed with the ship class name & type and "South Salem Studios, South Salem, N.Y". South Salem Studios was a small shop owned by Mr. Enzo Yocca who emigrated from France prior to the First World War. He specialized in miniatures and with the outbreak of the Second World War, offered the services of his shop to the Navy. South Salem also received another contract to produce a set of sixteen models of merchant ships that are dated 2/45. They continued producing models under these contracts throughout the war but for reasons as yet unclear they received no further contracts for 1:1200 scale models. They also produced a set of "Auxiliary Pocket Models" of merchant & warships in 1:2000 & 1:5000 scale. Beginning in late 1942, Comet received additional contracts to produce a set of fifteen German Navy ships models, two sets totaling twenty-eight Japanese Navy ship models and one set of twenty-five Japanese Marus (merchant ship models). In late 1945 or early 1946, Comet bought out South Salem and may have continued selling models under that name. The CometJapanese Marus are not the same models as the South Salem merchant ships. The Merchant Ships of All Nations, sold by Comet at the end of the war, are renamed Japanese Maru models. Comet continued to produce models for sale to the public well into the post war years and greatly expanded the number of models offered. In mid-1942, the H.A. Framburg & Company of Chicago received a contract to manufacture a set of twenty-nine models of British Navy ships. This contract was followed by one in 1944 to produce a set with sixteen additional models, twelve of British ships and four of French ships. Framburg's final contract was to produced a set with fourteen models of U.S. Navy ships. Framburg ceased production at the end of the war and sold their surplus stock to the public. These companies also produced sets of models at a scale of 1:500, commonly called "Teacher Scale", which contained models representative of most warship classes. They contained about half the number of models found in the 1:1200 scale sets. (C: 152)
To begin the sale of your item(s), in house experts will need to carry out an initial evaluation to judge how to proceed in the sale. Here, we will determine the authenticity as well as the approximate value of the item(s) using images and descriptions.
Initial Evaluation
In order to better assess how to proceed with your sale, an initial evaluation must be completed of your items. A quick and simple method, upload multiple images of your item(s) using our online submission form with any relevant comments. This form can be found below. Otherwise, we are happy to assess your item(s) by email, phone, or in office.
In House Assessment
Once we have completed an initial evaluation, you will be contacted by an eMedals representative, either by email or phone, to discuss shipment. All items offered on eMedals.com are subject to in house inspection and evaluation prior to listing. This process is to ensure all items offered are authentic, described correctly, properly researched, and listed using professionally photography.
Shipment of Your Item(s)
To ship your item(s), please ensure that each item is packed carefully and securely. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the shipment process, including those about methods, customs, insurance, please contact our general inbox info@emedals.comfor immediate assistance.
Shipping Address: 3245 Harvester RoadUnit 15Burlington, OntarioL7N 3T7 Canada
Offer
eMedals is happy to directly purchase medals and militaria from both the public and collectors alike. Here, once an item(s) has been assessed using images, delivered to our office and inspected, a purchase offer is then made. If accepted, payment is made in a timely fashion making an eMedals purchase a prompt transaction.
Close
Bid History
Item : W4720
A Set Of Early Second War Comet U.s. Navy Ship Identification Models
Bidder
Amount
Submitted
Buyer's Premium
All winning bids are subject to a Buyer's Premium of 22% which is in addition to the final hammer price.