1756 HM Bomb Vessel Granado – what is a museum-quality model?

People often ask me to estimate the value of a model or to tell them whether a model is fit for a museum, “museum quality” as it were. 

We were approached recently by a major museum in Montreal and the only requirements they placed on their request was that the model had to fit a certain display case, had to be from the 18th century, and had to have two masts. 

So what is a “museum-quality” model? If someone can give me a proper definition, I would be happy to hear it. 

For the model itself, here is a short description from the website of Jotika, the UK company that supplies the kit of this model: 

“Twelve bomb vessels, including Granado (the sixth), were built at the outbreak of the War of Jenkins’s Ear in 1739.
Granado was ordered on September 14th 1741 and the keel was laid on November 18th 1741.

Although it is uncertain who designed the Granado, it is commonly attributed to Thomas Slade, the naval Surveyor who oversaw the construction of the ship at Ipswich. Thomas Slade also went on to design famous ships such as H.M.S. Victory.
Granado was unusual in that she was designed to be used as either a sloop or a bomb vessel, being constructed with a conventional square stern.

Launched on June 22nd 1742, Granado was taken to Harwich, fitted out and put in commission as a sloop.
An Admiralty Order on July 15th 1745 was issued ‘to fit her (Granado) as a bomb’ but this order was reversed on July 17th 1745 and Granado remained as a sloop. It was not until 1756 that Granado was fitted for the first time as a bomb vessel from an Admiralty Order on July 26th 1756.”

We really like Jotika and we do supply their models. And, of course, it would be our pleasure to build one of their models for you.