I have been researching many different historical solutions for basing, and think that I have rediscovered the best way to protect models on the table as well as while they are being packed up. By totally encasing the model in amorphous silica there is little chance that it will be damaged in normal use on the table, but I am somewhat reluctant to see how it would hold up to the impact of a fall. Another bonus is that there is no real need to varnish as there is not a chance of any paint being chipped off. This dwarf ship from Armada was my test case, and I think it turned out well…
Special thanks to the ground-breaking work of Giovanni Biondo that was really the inspiration here… he is no longer with us, but look up his examples of scale modeling and they will astound you!