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America, Circa 1959

LOU BANKS TANK TEST MODEL FOR THE 5.5-METER YACHT "BINGO II"

Built up in wood, the interior hollowed, and the exterior of the hull shaped, faired and finished to a race finish. On the leading edge of the bow, down to the bottom edge of the keel, sand has been glued in place; this sand was used to create a disturbance to the laminar flow, so the flow below the waterline and around the keel could be more easily documented. Exterior of the hull marked #2164, which is the identification number for the Davidson Lab at the Stephens Institute where the model was tested. In addition, the exterior of the hull is marked on the starboard side with station frames and a dotted line that represents an alternative, longer waterline. The interior of the hull is marked "Bingo I - Feb. 27 1959 - LLB Jr". Also marked with two dates in the hull: February 27, 1959 and December 28, 1964. Inscribed "New type keel, Dec. 28, 1964"; keel modification is visible on model.
Height 14.5". Length 61.25". Beam 12.25".
Condition: The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction. 

  • Provenance:
    Bill Luders, Luders Yachts.
    Benjamin D. Gilbert, Darien, Connecticut.
    Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, Maine.
    Don Mallow & Bob Wallstrom, Blue Hill, Maine.
    Christie's East, Maritime Art Auction #8347, August 2000.

    Notes:
    This model is clearly marked as "Bingo I" and is dated February 27, 1959 on the hull interior. Information received from Bob Walstrom, a previous owner of the model and biographer for Luders Marine, states he believes this model to be of "Bingo II" (hull #1060), a subsequent hull built by Luders in 1966 and jointly owned by Benjamin Gilbert and Luders Marine. This conflicts with the model's hull markings. Some confusion arises from the list of Luders 5.5-meter yachts named "Bingo" provided by Walstrom, which lists the first "Bingo" (hull #1032) as being built by Bjarne Aas in Norway in 1963. Both Brewer and Wallstrom agree that "Bingo II", sailed by Don McNamara, won the bronze medal in the 1964 Olympics. This seemingly would identify the 1963 hull as "Bingo II", with the 1966 hull (#1060) logically being "Bingo III". Brewer, who did the drawings for "Bingo II", further states "Bingo II" had the first of Luders' distinctive "ducktail" sterns. The model has a square stern, conspicuously lacking the graceful downward sweep of Luders' "ducktail" designs. The evidence points to this being the tank test model for the earlier "Bingo I", built in 1959, for which we have as yet been unable to find substantive documentation. "Bingo II" (Luders hull #1032) was owned by Benjamin Gilbert of Stamford, Connecticut, who may have also owned "Bingo I". Her principal helmsman was Bill Luders. She competed under Luders in both the 1963 5.5-meter championships and the Gold Cup. In 1964, sailed by Don McNamara, she won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

    This model, marked as
    Bingo I , was designed by Alfred Luders Jr. and the model was built by Lou Banks, pattern maker and loftsman of the Luders Construction Company of Stamford, Connecticut.

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Winter Marine Sale Session I
February 28, 2023 9:30 AM EST
East Dennis, MA, US

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000