Scale: 1:64. A full hull model of the iron vessel ‘Cleopatra’ (1877) carved in wood with a cut-away section of the hull on the port side to reveal the stone obelisk, now known as Cleopatra’s Needle.

Although the date of manufacture of this model is uncertain, the materials and style of craftsmanship would suggest it was made in the late 19th century. It is complete with a single mast, a raised deck and walkway over the rather basic accommodation superstructure, the whole of which resembles a rather crude and early form of submarine.

The vessel was designed by the engineer John Dixon who had been tasked with bringing an Egyptian obelisk, which had been presented to the British government in 1819, back from Alexandria to London. Built by the Thames Ironworks at Blackwall, London, the ‘Cleopatra’ measured 92 feet in length by 15 feet in diameter and had an approximate finished weight of 15 tons. After it was launched and the initial trials carried out, the hull was dismantled and shipped to Alexandria to be reassembled around the 180-ton obelisk which had been lying on the seashore for the last 2–3,000 years.

Dixon’s idea was that the cylindrical hull would encapsulate the stone allowing it be rolled down to the sea, the remaining deckhouse and fittings added ready for the tow back to London. After a slight setback when the hull was damaged on rocks and was dry-docked for repairs at Alexandria, the ‘Cleopatra’ was taken in tow by the tug ‘Olga’ under the command of Captain Booth in July 1877.

All went well in the Mediterranean, but shortly after passing Gibraltar, the weather broke and developed into a full gale off the Portuguese coast. As a result of this, the ballast became loose making the hull pitch violently and caused the towline to part. Unfortunately, after several attempts to recover the vessel failed, Captain Booth eventually lost sight ‘Cleopatra’ with her six-man crew. It was not until early January when Captain Carter, who had been searching for her aboard the steamer ‘Fitzmaurice’, sighted the ‘Cleopatra’ just off the Spanish coast. She was taken to the port of Ferrol for repairs and eventually collected by the paddle tug ‘Anglia’ (see SLR0988) and towed to London, arriving on 28 January 1878.

The eventual fate of the ‘Cleopatra’ is not known although it is thought that the partially dismantled hull was taken to a nearby creek and abandoned.