Model, of whale catcher Southern Gem

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This wooden model represents the whale catcher 'Southern Gem', a steam-powered vessel built in 1937. 'Southern Gem' was one of a number of semi-experimental whalers to be built in the interwar period. The model is built to a scale of 1:48.

The vessel practised the Norwegian method of whale catching which used harpoons containing bombs. These were fired at the whale's back, killing it underwater. A catcher recovered the dead whale and towed it to the factory ship for processing.

'Southern Gem' was built by Bremer Vulkan of Vegesack in Germany for the Southern Whaling and Sealing Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Lever Brothers. Lever Brothers sold her in 1939 to Christian Salvesen & Co Ltd who registered her under a subsidiary company, the South Georgia Co Ltd. After World War II she began whaling in the Antarctic and continued until 1961 when she was sold to a Norwegian company. In 1962 she was broken up for scrap.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-002-087-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1974.85
• Date: Model: Between 1937 and 1974; Original: 1937
  
• Material: Inscription: SOUTHERN GEM, LONDON
  Ship / whale-catcher / model / showcase
  
• Dimensions: 18.50" H x 42.00" x 7.50"
  
• What: Ship / whale-catcher / model / showcase
  
• Subject: 23. SHIPPING, Fishing Boats (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: Bremer Vulkan (Builder of original ship)
  Lever Brothers (Parent company of original owners)
  Southern Gem
  Southern Whaling and Sealing Company Ltd (First owners of original ship)
  
• Where: Germany, Vegesack
  
• Event:
• Description: Model of the Southern Gem, a steam whale-catcher built in 1937 by Bremer Vulkan of Germany for the Southern Whaling and Sealing Co. Ltd, scale 1:48
  
• References:
  • Storer, J D. Ship Models in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh: A catalogue of models representing the history of shipping from 1500 BC to the present day. Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Museum Information Series, 1985, pp 77-8. 
• Translations:
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