RSS FeedCurrent Article

Lighthouse Model Sells For $25,000

Bell Rock Lighthouse CC Photo by Derek Robertson on WikipediaA model of Bell Rock Lighthouse, created by Scottish Lighthouse Engineer Robert Stevenson, sold at auction for £12,000, or $24,732. The purchaser was the Angus (Scotland) Council, which plans to put the model on display at the town’s Signal Tower Museum, where it will join other displays by the famed lighthouse designer. This design became the standard for other of Stevenson’s towers.

Bell Rock was a feat of engineering. It was established on the highest point of a reef off the Angus coast and directly in the path of ships headed for Dundee. The precipitating event for this structure was the wreck of the warship the HMS York, last of a long line of vessels to be demolished on this reef.

Work began in 1807, and two men died during its construction. The reef is only exposed for three hours a day at low-water spring tides and could be up to 16 feet under water at any other time. At first, the builders lived on board a vessel anchored off the rock. Afterwards they moved into a wooden tower erected alongside the construction. The entire structure of specially shaped interlocking blocks was carved on the mainland then dismantled and shipped by boat to the reef where the pieces were assembled and fixed in place using oak pins and wedges. The light was first lit in 1811 and automated in 1988.

The auction was handled by Bonham’s in London on behalf of the descendants of the Stevenson family. It has been in the family since Stevenson gave it to his daughter as a gift.

Keep up with Lighthouse News. Get articles by Email or in a Reader.

Trackback URL

Comments are closed.

  • Upcoming Events

    • No events.
  • Latest Posts

  • Categories

  • Translate This Page

  • Twitter Updates

  • Connect on Facebook

    Lighthouse News on Facebook
  • Updates and Corrections

    • Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Sale Update - Get your bids in for Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. The General Services Administration has set October 26 as the soft close. A soft close ... - Continued...#
    • Lightkeepers Voices Heard - Some good news out of Canada...the planned de-staffing of several lighthouses has been put off indefinitely. The voices of the lighthouse keepers, the public outcry, ... - Continued...#
    • Email Newsletter - For those that have wondered, the newsletter is not dead. Ongoing health problems this summer and fall have made it difficult to be at a ... - Continued...#
  • Help Support Us

    Currency:

    Amount:

    Website(Optional):


    Powered By Lighthouse News

Flickr Lighthouse Photos