To celebrate the Bicentenary of the greatest British naval victory since the Armada, we wanted to embark on creating something really special in keeping with the event. It had to be something more than superb craftsmanship, detail and authenticity. We felt that in this case, more so than in earlier major pieces we had done, it had to come alive and tell a story. The brief was to create a romantic and glorious portrayal of Nelson's great flagship. In viewing this magnificent example of British silver craftsmanship we hope we have paid due honour to Britain's greatest naval hero.

As soon as the model was completed it received wide acclaim and on October 21st - Trafalgar Day - was exhibited aboard HMS Victory at Portsmouth while Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth attended a commemorative dinner on board. The model was again featured in St Pauls Cathedral on 23rd October at a special service attended by other members of the royal family.

The model depicts the ship just about to engage the enemy, moving slowly with a light following wind on the port stern quarter. Creating this model of a 104 gun warship took 18 months from conception to completion and 1700 man hours at the bench for Mike Softley.

There are over 1000 separate pieces in the model with two parts of the ship of particular complexity and detail - the beak and the gallery at the stern. The gallery alone required careful shaping, filing and fitting, and subsequent alignment and soldering, of over 150 pieces.

While Mike Softley was wholly responsible for making the boat and the collar and Gordon Evans sculpting the sea, a number of leading British craftsmen were engaged to embellish the collar.

Engraver Larry O'Connell created a number of significant scenes;

• Nelson departing for his ship at the quayside
• A gun crew between decks in action
• The line of battle of the British, French and Spanish fleets
• The death of Nelson
• HMS Pickle returning to Britain with news of the victory and the death of Nelson
• Additionally, engraved round the plinth are twelve hoists signalling Nelson's famous message "England expects..."

Keith Seldon painted two enamels, one a portrait of Nelson the other of his coat of arms.
Tim Simmons sculpted the corner pieces which reproduce the design of feathers and flags which Victory carried on the transom.