Exceptional Scale “Coronation 1838” Racing Pond Yacht, Formerly Property Of Quee

A monumental Victorian racing pond yacht, dated 1838, built to an exceptional and highly unusual scale.

Constructed with a galvanised hull and retaining its original removable lead ballast weights, the yacht has a notable weight, indicative of its intended performance on the water. These were not lightweight models, but carefully balanced racing vessels, their mass working in conjunction with keel and rig to provide stability and speed.

Rigged with aged cotton sails, the yacht carries a deeply evocative surface, its weathered paint and oxidised tones speaking to long use. The deck is inset with a circular plaque inscribed “Coronation 1838”, marking the year of Queen Victoria’s accession.

This yacht forms the companion piece to the 1887 example, the pair conceived together as commemorative works linked to key moments in the life of Queen Victoria. According to provenance, both were engineered at the Great Western Railway’s steam engine works in Swindon, reflecting the remarkable crossover between industrial engineering, craftsmanship and display during the height of the Industrial Revolution.

The Great Western Railway were renowned for their engineering excellence, notably constructing the first royal railway carriage, and their involvement speaks to the ambition and calibre of these extraordinary models.

The scale alone sets it apart. This is not a domestic model but a serious racing yacht, conceived at a time when pond yachting was a highly competitive and technically driven pursuit, with large lakes across Britain hosting organised races.

Acquired in 2018 at the outset of the dispersal of a long-held private collection formed by Richard Howard, founder of the Beale Park Model Boat Museum, one of the most significant collections of historic model yachts in the country. The yachts were sold at that point to his friend and fellow world-renowned pond yacht expert Paul Drewett, from whom they were subsequently acquired.

Now presented on a bespoke wooden stand, it holds a commanding sculptural presence—the tall rig catching light beautifully, the hull carrying the layered patina of time.

A rare and ambitious survival from the early period of Victorian model yachting.

Width: 264 cm (103.94″)
Height: 285 cm (112.2″)
Depth: 42 cm (16.54″)