Retired architect John Harrison contacted Simon Knight, the Sydney-based son of the eccentric Dunedin explorer, after he read an Otago Daily Times article about the Knight family sorting through a treasure trove of thousands of books, documents, souvenirs and bric-a-brac.
"I noticed in the article a photo of a model ship he brought from England, which showed some damage and [was] in need of repair," Mr Harrison said.
"My hobby for some 40 years is building model sailing ships . . .I believe I am experienced enough, if the family of Hardwicke Knight would like the model ship repaired.
"I would do this for no cost.
"It would be a shame if this model was discarded."
The model ship would be in safe hands, as Mr Harrison has made 37 models, the majority sea-faring vessels; since the late 1960s.
His passion flowed into his architectural career; he would make models of buildings for clients.
His large model of USS Constitution is in the Regional Maritime Museum in Port Chalmers and his smaller model of HMB Endeavour is in the Otago Museum in Dunedin.
Mr Harrison's latest venture is a 800mm long, framed, double planked and fully rigged model of HMB Endeavour, commanded by James Cook on his first voyage to Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Harrison said he had worked on the model, which he bought in Australia, "on and off" for two years.
His tools included dental drills, clamps, a variety of glues and lots of patience.
"Endeavour came as a kitset with timber and precut frames. I laid the keel and layered with the first layer of hull planking, then sanded and smoothed it. [Then I added] a layer of walnut wood planking, sanded and varnished and laid the decking in strips, then assembled the deck fillings, with masts and yards built up and all the pulley blocks attached."
His next step was to finish the standing rigging using black thread, and then assemble the yards to the mast.
"Put a couple of flags on it, then it goes on the shelf."
The romance of seafaring appealed to him, he said, and he researched each ship.
His collection includes Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria, Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, HMS Bounty, Cutty Sark and many 20th century ships.
