Onassis OLYMPIC CHALLENGER souvenir catalogue - Lardex

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Olympic Whaling Company representational gift: a mechanical lighter in the form of a model Bofors harpoon cannon. Unidentified metal alloy. Total length when loaded 19.7 cm, gun barrel length 9.3 cm (approx 1:15 scale). On the conical gun base engraved presentation placque: “To W.F. Pascoe, O.B.E. || Christmas 1953 || Olympic Whaling Company || A.S. Onassis”. In the original blue cloth and velvet presentation box. These elaborate harpoon cannon models were made by a hitherto unidentified Hamburg manufacturer in 1952 or 1953, possibly under the supervision of captain Sven W. Thienemann (1912-2007). The “Baby-Mylflam” or “B 47” lighter mechanism was then built in at Mylflam company in Offenbach by one Mr. Leibold. Rumour has it that some 150 or 200 harpoon cannon lighters have been commissioned by the Olympic Whaling Company. The lighter ignites when the “trigger” under the cannon handle is pressed. The gun can be swivelled and inclined, the harpoon is detachable, the harpoon grenade can be unscrewed, the barbs are moveable, and the cardan joint between harpoon head and shank works with a spring mechanism. Interestingly, OLYMPIC CHALLENGER did not whale in the 1953/54 season, when these mechanical lighters were presented, so they were commissioned before the decision to employ the floating factory as a tanker was passed. Since the “Norwegian Whaling (Crew) Act” of 21 December 1945 forbade Norwegian nationals to promote post-war newcomers to the Antarctic whaling industry, be it through consultancy, hands-on expertise or supplies, Onassis’ whaling fleet – like the Dutch one in 1946 and some post-war Soviet whaling fleets – was not able to purchase the well-tested Norwegian Kongsberg harpoon cannons, but had to equip their whale catchers with “model 46” harpoon cannons of the Swedish Bofors company. The Hamburg Kampnagel company supplied harpoons to the Dutch and Onassis. Dedecke Whaling Collection 6
Black plastic matchbook cover with impressed company house mark. Dedecke Whaling Collection Brown plastic notebook cover with impressed company house mark. Vonk Whaling Collection 7 Brown leather wallet with impressed company house mark. Dedecke Whaling Collection Photo album “OLYMPIC WHALING” see next page
Page 1 and 2: The Arts and Crafts of OLYMPIC CHAL
Page 3 and 4: Arts and crafts As house flag, Onas
Page 5: Official Olympic Whaling Company pr
Page 9 and 10: Two Olympic Whaling Company promoti
Page 11 and 12: The Onassis ‘flat-S’ scrimshand
Page 13 and 14: The OMIROS baleen scribe: Sail boat
Page 15 and 16: Walter Sievers: Model of a Bofors h
Page 17: Acknowledgements I wish to thank -

Onassis OLYMPIC CHALLENGER souvenir catalogue - Lardex

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