In commemoration of Pope Francis’ inaugural visit to the United States and to the United Nations headquarters in New York City, a handcrafted model of the Egyptian replica originally used as the ‘master plan’ model for all ships built in the early CE (common era) years was commissioned to be created and placed on display at the UN building. Continental was tasked with creating the display case for the large model ship as well as its unique backdrop. Made of reclaimed lumber that had been pulled from the Hudson River, the driftwood used for the wall framing in the display case had to be carefully looked over by hand and with the help of metal detectors to take out nails and other debris to bring the lumber back to its glory before piecing it together to form the artistic backdrop. For the casework, Continental crafted a stainless-steel floating-point system strong enough to hold the glass of the display case yet soft enough in look to work with the overall aesthetic.

This display has been seen not just by Pope Francis but by all visiting delegates of countries around the globe.