An important builder's half model of the Miller Fifer 29.5x8.25x5.5in(75x21x14cm) 3 image 1

Lot 551

An important builder's half model of the Miller Fifer
29.5x8.25x5.5in(75x21x14cm) 3

The Henley Sale

21 July 2007, 10:00 BST

Henley on Thames

Sold for £960 inc. premium

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An important builder's half model of the Miller Fifer

from the yard of James N Miller & Sons, St Monance, Fife. Built to a scale of 1/2in. to 1ft.(1:24) of varnished mahogany on horizontal lifts, with added rudder, bilge keel and rubbing strakes, with a white boot top. mounted onto a polished mahogany backboard with a cast bronze builders plate. Together with two small promotional models produced by the yard. 29.5x8.25x5.5in(75x21x14cm) (3)

Footnotes

The Millers began boatbuilding at St Monance in Fife in 1779, first with small local craft, but by the 1880's expanding to build the large "Fifie" type Scottish fishing boats. They were early experimenters with internal combustion engines in fishing boats and James Miller installed a two stroke diesel engine in a "Fifie" in the 1890's. They built for the Government in both World Wars, mostly launches and motor torpedo boats. Involved with bespoke yacht building from the early days, when the building programme slackened in the late 1950's James Miller designed the "Fifer" motor yacht range, based on the company's successful fishing boat hull. The first production boat, the 31ft. "Royal Fifer" was displayed at the 1958 London boat Show, and sold on the first day. Subsequently over 100 of the design were built in various sizes and many a successfully afloat today, some having impressive cruising records. This model, directly from the Miller family, is believed to be James Miller's pre-production half model for the class.

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An important builder's half model of the Miller Fifer 29.5x8.25x5.5in(75x21x14cm) 3

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An important builder's half model of the Miller Fifer
29.5x8.25x5.5in(75x21x14cm) 3