Maker record
Mercator
Mercator was a German maker of miniature ship models in 1:1250 scale. Its range focused on passenger liners and merchant vessels, alongside warships, including a series of Russian ships associated with the Russo-Japanese War. Mercator models represented vessels from several periods and national fleets, from historic ships to twentieth-century liners and naval craft. The maker was among the producers that helped expand the 1:1250 model-ship hobby from the mid-1960s.
- Countries
- Belgium
- Locations
- Germany
The story of Mercator
Mercator became one of the makers of 1:1250 ship models during the mid-to-late 1960s. The maker was associated with Gerald Schweizer and was a major producer through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Its catalogue centered on passenger liners and merchant ships, with a smaller warship range that included Russian vessels connected with the Russo-Japanese War.
Production temporarily stopped in the 1990s when ownership changed. Skytrex later acquired the Mercator line and its moulds, reissuing models and adding some new subjects. The range included liners and warships from the original German line as well as later Skytrex additions. Specialist references report that most of the line is no longer in production; the date of Mercator's final production is not established.
