Archive of Carl Alberg designs and models up for auction

[Swann Galleries]

On September 30, Swann Auction Galleries in Manhattan will be selling a substantial archive of Carl Alberg's designs, models, and other papers, much of it relating to his work on Cape Dory yachts.

If you have any questions, or would like to place a bid, see the Swann website at www.swanngalleries.com or contact Americana specialist Rick Stattler at 212-254-4710 x 27. The full catalogue description follows.


PRINTED & MANUSCRIPT AMERICANA 09/30/2010 01:30 PM, Lot No. 224

(YACHTING.) Archive of yacht designer Carl Alberg. 38 rolled pencil and ink sketches, 39 rolled blueprints, 4 half-hull boat models, and a box of manuscript records (including additional folded plans, correspondence, notes, photographs, and promotional material). Mostly Marblehead, MA, 1938-85. bulk 1957-85
Estimate:$10,000-15,000

Carl A. Alberg (1900-1986) of Marblehead, MA was a successful designer of fiberglass-hulled sailboats. Born in Sweden, he came to the United States as a young man and established his national reputation as a naval architect from the 1940s onward. Some of his best-known work was with Cape Dory Yachts of Massachusetts.

This archive includes large-scale drawings, blueprints, and production correspondence relating to dozens of Alberg's popular boat designs, including two 1958 blueprints for his popular Triton. Also included are scale models of 4 popular Cape Dory designs, including the iconic Cape Dory 36 (pictured below). A detailed inventory of the collection is available upon request.

With--8 books, mostly in Swedish and many inscribed by the Alberg family, 1908-1984.

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[img]http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp ... 03&image=0[/img]

[Troy Scott]

Does anyone have an idea what such a collection is worth?

[Swann Galleries]

It's difficult to place a value on anything unique. We have the Alberg archive estimated at $10,000 to $15,000, but we'll have a better idea of what it's really worth once the auction concludes on September 30.

[easug1]

Does anybody know whether the copyrights to the drawings convey with them, or if the sale is only for the physical drawings? Just wondering...

Allen

[Dixon Hemphill]

It would seem to me that these would be of value to ONLY the CDSOA organization. Who else might be interested in having them? It will be interesting to see the result the auction. It seems $10,000 is a pretty steep price but I am often surprised to learn how much money people will pay for auctioned items.

Carl Alberg, as some of you know, was the uncle of two Swedish brothers whom I know very well having lived in Sweden for two years. I have given several talks about Alberg to CDSOA members having met Carl in Marblehood on two separate occasions. I would love to see those models!

[Swann Galleries]

As with most auctions, we only sell the physical artifact, not the copyright.

[John Vigor]

Dixon, you might be surprised how many individuals, maritime museums, and organizations could be interested in the Alberg artifacts. They constitute unique Americana from a man who designed many of the most popular yachts ever built in this country. They might be rare treasures for niche collectors.

Allen, I'm not an expert on copyright, but it normally automatically vests in the creator of the copyrighted work. In this case, it would be vested in Carl Alberg himself to begin with, and his heirs thereafter. There is an exception if the drawings and models were done on a work-for-hire basis. In other words, if a boatyard asked Alberg to design a boat to their specifications, the boatyard would own the copyright unless some other legal arrangement were agreed between them.

It's rather like buying a book. When you purchase a book you don't buy the copyright, just the physical book. You can't copy the book and start selling it to other people. In the same way, you can buy Alberg's drawings, but you can't start copying them and selling them. Neither can you start building the yachts and selling them without the permission of the copyright holder.

Cheers,

John V.

[easug1]

John,
I was thinking about the fact that CDSOA couldn't put them on the web site unless they had either owned the copyrights to the docs, or been given license to post the docs by the heirs. The best thing that could be done with those documents is that they be made readily available to CD (and other Alberg-designed yacht) owners. Maybe Mr. Alberg's heirs would be nice enough to grant that to CDSOA or some other non-profit.

Allen

[Joe CD MS 300]

Unlike copyright law, where protection arises at the moment of creation, an original vessel
hull design is not protected under chapter 13 until it is made public or the registration of the design
with the Copyright Office is published, whichever date is earlier. Once a design is made public, an
application for registration must be made no later than two years from the date on which the design
was made public. Making a design public is defined as publicly exhibiting it, distributing it or
offering it for sale (or selling it) to the public with the design owner’s consent. Id. § 1310(b). Only
the owner of a design may make an application for registration. Id. § 1310(c).


It looks like copyright protection for hull designs only started in 1998 but I'm no expert, just doing some quick research. If that is the case most of the Alberh designs would not be protected. It also looks like they are only protected for ten years.

I also think that ship drawings would be more akin to a work of art rather than a book. The owner of an original Monet could sell prints as far as I know.

[bobdugan]

Rick... can you post more details on what else is included in the lot that is for auction?

[Swann Galleries]

By request, here is a more detailed description of the contents of the Alberg archive being sold on September 30:


Half-hull model titled "Cape Dory-27" 14 inches long, on 18 x 7 inch board.

Half-hull model titled "Cape Dory-28" 14 inches long, slight crack in hull, on 18 x 8 inch board. By Scale Model Company of Pasadena, MD

Half-hull model titled "Cape Dory-36" 18 inches long, on 22 x 8 inch board. By Scale Model Company of Pasadena, MD.

Half-hull model titled "Cape Dory 45" 22 inches long, detached from mount, with 28 x 8.5 inch board.

Original ink drawing, ""Auxilliary Sloop Designed for Beetle Boat Co. Inc.. East Greenwich, RI, by Carl A. Alberg, Marblehead, Mass., Aug. 1957, No. 22"

Small unidentified family photo album of yachts and Swedish scenes, early 20th-century

1 box of manuscript records--see consignor's printed list

Small collection of 8 books, mostly in Swedish, some with Alberg family inscriptions, 1908-1984

10 mailing tubes, each with several boat blueprints for a total of about 76:


Tube 1.
Pencil sketches:
Sea Sprite Four Berth Layout, No. 22B, 1958
Sea Sprite motor installation,No. 22, undated
Sea Sprite Daysailer Engine Installation, No. 22, 1964
22'6" Aux. Sloop Designed for Beetle Boat Co. Inc., No. 22, 1957
2 unidentified sketches

Tube 2.
Pencil sketches:
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop Cabin Plan, No. 39 1967
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop Lines Plan, No. 39 1966
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop Construction Plan, No. 39 1966
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop Sail Plan, No. 39 1967

Tube 3.
Pencil sketches:
Alberg-34 34' F.G. Sloop Lines Plan, No. 53 1981
Alberg-34 34' F.G. Sloop Sail Plan, No. 53 1981
34' F.G. Sloop. Proposed Layout, No. 53, 1981

Tube 4.
Pencil sketches:
21' Power Boat, Gen'l Arrangement, No. 44 1975
21' Power Boat, Lines Plan, No. 44 1975

Tube 5.
Pencil sketches:
53' Aux. Ketch, Lines Plan No. 58 1983
53' Aux. Ketch, Cabin Plan No. 58 1983
53' Aux. Ketch, Sail Plan No. 58 1983

Tube 6.
Blueprints:
Cape Dory 31 Sail Plan #2 No. 55 1982
18' Fiberglass Sloop Sail Plan, No. 29 revised 1963
Alberg 30 MK II, 1985
Alberg-22 Auxiliary Sloop Sail Plan, No. 20 undated
Alberg-37 Sail Plan No. 36, revised 1966
SC-21 21 Foot Daysailer Sail Plan, No. 41, 1964
34'-9" Fiberglass Sloop Sail Plan, date and number illegible (dark)
Typhoon Daysailer No. 29B 1974
Cape Dory 45' Sail Plan, No. 52, 1982 (3 copies)
Bristol-27 27' Fiberglass Sloop, Sail Plan, No. 42, 1964
Electra 22' Fiberglass Sloop, Sail Plan, No. 25, 1960
Alberg-30 Yawl Sail Plan, No. 34, 1963

Tube 7.
Negative photostats:
One-Design Racing Sloop, Sail Plan, John G. Alden Naval Architects (drawn by Alberg), No. 757, 1944
One-Design Racing Sloop, Construction Plan, John G. Alden Naval Architects (drawn by Alberg), No. 757, undated
Blueprints:
Alberg-37 Aux. Fiberglass Sloop, Line Plan, No. 36, 1964
33 ft. Cruising Sloop, General Arrangement, No. 51, 1979
Alberg-30 Lines, No. 3-, 1962
Electra & Ensign 22' Fiberglass Sloop, Lines, No. 25, 1959
22' Fiberglass Sloop, Construction Plan, No. 25, 1959 (2 copies)
Ariel, 25'-6" Cruising Sloop, Lines, No. 33, 1961
Triton 28' Aux. Fiberglass Sloop, Lines Plan, No. 23, 1958 (2 copies)
C.D. Typhoon Daysailer Mark #2, 1978
36' Fiberglass Ketch, Lines Plan, No. 47, 1975
Cape Dory Typhoon Sailplan, XL-22, 1978
Sea Sprite Auxiliary Sloop Designed for Beetle Boat Co., No. 22, 1957
Bristol-27 27' Fiberglass Sloop, Lines, No. 42, 1965

Tube 8:
Pencil sketches:
10 M. Fiberglass Sloop, Cabin Plan, No. 30, 1960
10 M. Fiberglass Sloop, Sail Plan, No. 30, 1960
Fiberglass Sloop, Lines Plan, No. 30, 1960
10 M. Fiberglass Sloop, Table of Offsets, No. 30, 1960
10 M. Fiberglass Sloop, Construction Plan, No. 30, undated
37' Fiberglass Sloop, Cabin Plan No. 1, No. 36, 1965
37' Fiberglass Sloop, Cabin Plan No. 2, No. 36, 1965
37' Fiberglass Sloop, Construction Plan, No. 36, undated
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop, Lines Plan, No. 36, 1964
Alberg-37 Ketch Rig, No. 36, 1970
Alberg-37 Sail Plan, No. 36, 1966
Aux. Fiberglass Sloop, Revised Profile, No. 39, 1967


Tube 9.
Blueprints:
Cape Dory 27 Sail Plan, 1978
Cape Dory 28 [sail plan], nd
Cape Dory 36 Cutter Sailplan, 1978
C-22 Sail Plan, 1980
CD-25 [sail plan], 1978
Pencil sketches:
21' Motor Boat, Gen'l Arr'm't, No. 44 1975
26' Fiberglass Sloop, Table of Offsets, No. 32, 1961
26' Auxiliary Sloop, Cabin Plan No. 32, 1961
26' Auxiliary Sloop, Construction Plan, No. 32 1961
26' Aux. Sloop Sail Plan, No. 32, 1961
26' Aux. Sloop, Lines, No. 32 1961
26' Aux. Fg. Sloop Sail Plan, No. 32, revised 1969

Tube 10.
Blueprints:
Triton (MK-IV) Sail Plan, 1958
Ensign, No. 25, 1962 (2 copies)
Alberg 22 Auxiliary Sloop Sail Plan, No. 20

[bobdugan]

Wow thanks Rick!