Burgess-Donaldson Collection
Abstract
Plans produced by W. Starling Burgess from the mid-1920's to the mid-1930's while working in several partnerships. Plans are primarily for sailing yachts, and some one design classes are represented, including M class sloops and 12 meters. Drawings for the America's Cup defenders ENTERPRISE (1930) and RAINBOW (1934) are included.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1907 - 1934
Restrictions on Access
Available for use in the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library
Biography of W. Starling (William Starling) Burgess
William Starling Burgess (1878-1947), known as W. Starling or Starling Burgess, was a naval architect, airplane and automobile designer, and published poet and author. He was the son of Edward Burgess (1848-1891), the naval architect and designer of three America's Cup defenders, and brother of Charles Paine Burgess, also a yacht designer and engineer.
W. Starling Burgess was a well-known designer of racing yachts, including the J class boats ENTERPRISE, RAINBOW, and RANGER. By 1901 he was self-employed in yacht design and brokerage. In 1902 he became a partner in the Boston-area firm of Burgess & Packard with A. A. (Alpheus Appleton) Packard, the first of numerous partnerships formed throughout his career.
By 1914 he founded a firm to manufacture airplanes and hydroplanes. In 1921 he was with the firm of Burgess & Paine with Frank C. Paine. With the addition of A. Loring Swasey in 1923 the company became Burgess, Swasey & Paine. After moving to New York he formed the partnerships of Burgess & Morgan, Ltd., and Burgess, Rigg & Morgan, Ltd., with Jasper Morgan and Linton Rigg. He also had a partnership with yacht broker Boyd Donaldson in Burgess & Donaldson, Inc.
Extent
905 sheet(s) (representing 119 designs)
Language of Materials
English
- Title
- Burgess-Donaldson Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Subtitle
- An Inventory of the Collection at the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, Mystic Seaport
- Author
- Beth Russell
- Date
- October 2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- This collection inventory was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Revision Statements
- October 2024: Updated to EAD3
Repository Details
Part of the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library Repository
G. W. Blunt White Library
Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
112 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic Connecticut 06355 United States
860.572.5367
collections@mysticseaport.org