Cabin Class Collectibles have been a purveyor of authentic ocean liner memorabilia for over 25 years. In 2013, the steamship china, collectibles and ephemera pages of this website were deleted so that the focus could be placed solely upon the design, contruction and preservation of scale models. This move was motivated in part by the plethora of inferior ocean liner models available online, many of which are touted to be of "museum quality." This is a designation that is, almost invariably, incorrectly applied.
Scale models built to strict museum standards will cost many thousands of dollars and come only rarely onto the market. The vast majority of models presented online, attractively priced and advertised with carefully selected photographs, are nothing short of "folk art" representations. An educated buyer can easily recognize the characteristics of poor design and inferior construction: incorrect proportions, misaligned funnels, over-scale fittings and poorly applied paintwork.
At Cabin Class Collectibles our models are designed and constructed with two goals in mind. First, to accurately replicate in scale proportions the great passenger vessels of the twentieth century. Second, to pay homage to the craftsmen of Art Model Studios by applying the same techniques used by Arthur G. Henning's experienced model-makers who produced some of the finest travel agency models ever manufactured. Though these models by nature were designed to be built economically, they were true in form and proportion to the ships they represented. The fact that these replicas are highly collectible today is a testament to the skill and artistry of their builders.
Maritime historian and model-builder Ered Matthew served for some years as Cruise Director on board the three U.S. flagged vessels of NCL America: the Pride of Aloha, Pride of Hawai'i and Pride of America, as well as the internationally-crewed m/v Norwegian Majesty. Raised on the southeastern New England coast near the whaling capitol of New Bedford in the shipbuilding town of Mattapoisett, Mr. Matthew has always had a close association with the sea and ocean-going vessels. In addition, his artistic training has given him an eye for perfection. It is these qualities that he brings to his craft, and that are evidenced in the fine works of art he creates.