Lots of ocean liner fans love Tri-ang Minic models, and who can blame them? A single tabletop can hold an entire fleet of great liners–famous and obscure–in die-cast metal miniature. I even know of one respected ocean liner authority who has created a scaled-down version of New York’s North River piers featuring a dream complement of Tri-ang Minic models.
The best Tri-ang Minic models date from the golden age of liners. Some were sold on the ships themselves as souvenirs. Most, however, were purchased in shops for little boys who would later push them around on the living room floor or in the backyard (Toot! Toot! Oh, no! Here comes the Orcades!).
The downside to being a Tri-ang Minic collector is the cost, which can range from about $50–for a beat up representation of an average liner–to something approaching the cost of a Queen Mary 2 around-the-world voyage–for one of the rarer models. It’s fun to watch the bidding frenzy on eBay when one of the more desirable models is put up for auction
