Scale: 1:24. A model of a proposed bow for a third rate 74-gun ship made entirely in wood which has been stained and varnished. The model shows the port and starboard framing of the bow which has been made using stylised frames. The stem post has a concave surface at the top to accommodate the bowsprit. On paper label applied to stem post: '3'. The port side of the model is depicted partly planked and painted green; the remainder of the port side is left in frame and varnished to resemble planks. The starboard side is also partly planked and painted green. It has a paper label applied to it with a handwritten inscription: ‘Foremost frame timber. Bow of a 74-gun ship. Scale 1/2 inch to a foot. Showing the hawse pieces ... as at present disposed of in the Ramilles and Albion repairing in His majesty's yard at Chatham. The advantages derived from this principle are many particularly that arising from the placing the hawse pieces nearly to a right angle from the curve of the bow and the doing away the necessity of cutting them to slivers or acute angles against the foremost frame by avoiding which much timber is not only saved but that of considerably less dimensions or ... may be applied for that which it is a substitute for in the old system. In point of strength much may in its favour be said particularly that of giving to the fastenings of the plank ... more security by their ... the centre of the timber. The running down of the hawse pieces gives also a general connection with the deadwood ... NB this principle is applicable to all classes of ships. Proposed by Mr Seppings Master Shipwright of Chatham Yard. August 1812’. Three paper labels are also applied to part of the starboard bow in frame: ‘This description of timbers being ... to be framed ... timbers’, ‘Ditto’, ‘Ditto’. Four gunports are shown in position on the parts of the model in frame. The model shows four hawseholes. The top of the model is marked with penwork to show stylised decking on the portside and the inner faces of the frames on the starboard side, with the inner face of the stem post marked in the centre. There are two wedge shaped paper labels on each of the port and starboard sides at the top of the model: ‘Directions of the timbers proposed by Mr Seppings and as put in practice in the Ramilles and Albion’ and ‘Direction of timbers as shown on the Navy Board draft sent to Chatham for ... marathon in April 1809’.