Archibald E. Fraser Papers

Manuscripts Collection 161

Overview of the Collection
Repository: G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Creator: Fraser, Archibald E., d. 1976.
Title: Archibald E. Fraser Papers
Dates: 1945-1975
Extent: ca. 10,000 pieces
Abstract: This is a collection of business records for a yacht broker in Stonington, Connecticut between the years 1945-1975. The papers cover most all areas of a broker’s activities, except for marine insurance. Included are listings for yachts of all types (power and sail), correspondence, brochures, charter information, and other miscellaneous related material.
Identification: Coll. 161

Biography of Archibald E. Fraser

Archibald E. Fraser (d. 1976) was a yacht broker in Stonington, Connecticut from 1945-1975. He died in 1976.

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Context

It has been said that a yacht brokerage can be very much like the real estate business. Listings are acquired for yachts and kept in up to date files. The broker then tries to match up a particular boat with a buyer’s financial situation and other particular preferences. If a sale is made the broker receives approximately 10% commission, which is split when multiple listings are shared with other brokers.

In addition to selling yachts a broker will usually offer a charter service. This also requires up to date listings of boats available for charter, as well as accurate knowledge of the boat and owner (and the crew if they are included).

A third area in the brokerage business is marine insurance. Usually a broker will act as an agent for a larger company. In A.E. Fraser’s case he represented Chubb & Sons, and Federal Insurance Co., although there is little record of this activity in the Fraser Papers.

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Arrangement

The first eleven boxes contain listings arranged primarily by yacht name, and by type (power or sail). Included are brochures, letters, listing forms, etc. Boxes 12 and 13 contain letters, charter agreements, advertisements, etc., relative to yacht charters. This material is arranged by boat type, and some material is broken down by charter companies. The next 2 boxes contain Mr. Fraser’s general correspondence, primarily to and from other brokers, arranged chronologically between 1945-1975. The last 5 boxes have miscellaneous items relative to yachts and the brokerage business.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Available for use in the Manuscripts Division

Restrictions on Use

Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.

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Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Subjects:

Charter-parties
Yachting–Connecticut–Stonington
Yachts
Yachts–Connecticut–Stonington–Photographs

Document Types:

Photographs

Occupations:

Ship brokers–Connecticut–Stonington

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 161, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Alphbetical listing of yachts
Box Folder
1 1 ADVENTURER
2 AGUARA
3 ALANA II
4 ALEBET
5 AMIBEL
6 ANGLER
7 ANITRA
8 ANN TOY
9 APRIL
10 ARIA
11 ARROW
12 BABS
13 BALLERINA II
14 BLUE BELL
15 BLUE CHIP II
16 BLUE MIST
17 BLUE PETER
18 BROOMSTICK
19 BULLS EYE
20 BUTTERFLY
Box Folder
2 1 CALIBAN
2 CAPRICE
3 CATNIP
4 CAYUGA
5 CHARDEE
6 CHEZ TOUS
7 CHIMAERA
8 CHIMNEY SWIFT
9 CHIVAREE
10 CINDERELLA
11 CITADELLA
12 CRICKET
13 CORMORANT
14 CYNARA
15 DALLIANCE
16 DARLYN
17 DEHRDRE
18 DELIGHT
19 DOLPHIN
20 DREAM V
21 DUFFER
22 DUTCH LOVE
Box Folder
3 1 EGRET
2 EL PICARO
3 EVADER
4 EVELYNE L.
5 EXCALIBUR
6 EXCHANGE
7 EXCHANGE II
8 FAIR WINDS
9 FALKEN
10 FANAL
11 FANCY
12 FANCY FREE
13 FESTINA
14 FLEETING DAWN
15 FOLLYS CRUTCH
16 FORDIE
17 GALLIARD
18 GAILLARDE/FIDELE
19 GAY GYPSY
20 GLEAM
21 GOBLIN II
22 GREY MIST
Box Folder
4 1 HALCYON
2 HARRIET
3 HERON
4 HEXEL
5 HEXEL
6 HEYDAY
7 HIPER
8 HOURGLASS
9 HURON
10 THE HUTCH
11 IMSHALLAH
12 INDEPENDENT
13 ISIS
14 JEANE ANNE
15 JENNIFER
16 JESTER
17 JUDY
18 KESTREL
19 KILLARNEY III
20 KOALA
21 KONA
Box Folder
5 1 LENORE
2 LIBRA
3 LIGHT HORSE III
4 LITTLE BEAR
5 LITTLE DUTCH
6 LOON
7 LOON
8 LORD JIM
9 LUCY
10 MACUSHLA
11 MAGIC
12 MALIHINI
13 MARANN
14 MARY ALICE
15 MASANABO III
16 MEMORY
17 MERIDIAN
18 MERRY WIND
19 MONSOON
20 MOONRAKER
21 MOONRAKER
22 MORENA
23 MOUSE
24 MERRY LYNNE
25 MYSTIC MAIDEN
Box Folder
6 1 NABO JACK
2 NANCY
3 NYLLA
4 NIGHT HAWK
5 ODD BALL
6 OWL
7 PALATINE LIGHT
8 PILGRIM
9 POOH III
10 PORT LUCK
11 POSEIDON
12 PRIDE & JOY
13 PRIMROSE
14 PUFF
15 PUFFIN II
16 QUADRILLE
17 QUANDY
18 QUIXOIC
19 RACUNA
20 RANGER
21 ROMAGO
22 RIPTIDE
23 ROARING SEAL
Box Folder
7 1 SALT
2 SALVATORE B.
3 SANDELING
4 SARI
5 SCHATZIE
6 SEACALL
7 SEA HORSE
8 SHELL BACK
9 SHIMARERA
10 SOLITARE
11 SOOGIE MOOGIE
12 SOOJIE MOOGIE
13 SOUVENIER
14 SPANKER
15 SIRIUS
16 SLIPAWAY
17 SPRILL
18 STARFIRE
19 STOUT HEART
20 SUB ROSA
21 SUNFLOWER
22 SYOSSET
23 SPINDRIFT
24 SPINDRIFT
25 SPINDRIFT
Box Folder
8 1 TETON
2 TIBURON
3 TIME OUT
4 TORTEL
5 TRIDENT
6 TSEEN FOO
7 TRINA
8 TWO STEP
9 TWOSER
10 VALOR
11 VAYU
12 VOODOO
13 WANDERER
14 WAYWING
15 WHIM
16 WHISPER
17 WINDMILL
18 WINDRUSH
19 WINDSWILL
20 WINDY
21 WINDFALL
22 WISE LADY
23 WOOF WOOF V
24 ZARA
Inactive listings, power and sail
Box Folder
9 1 Inactive power and sail listings
2 Inactive power and sail listings
3 Inactive power and sail listings
4 Inactive power and sail listings
5 Miscellaneous listings; ca 1967-1973
David Atwater Jr., and Fairhaven Marine Inc.
Box Folder
10 1 David Atwater Jr. listings
2 David Atwater Jr. listings
3 David Atwater Jr. listings
4 Fairhaven Marine Inc. listings
5 Fairhaven Marine Inc. listings
6 Listisn – exclusive brokers only
David Atwater Jr. listings
Box Folder
11 1 Atwater power and sail listings
2 Atwater power and sail listings
Charters: power and sail
Box Folder
12 1 Sail Charters
2 Sail Charters
3 Sail Charters
4 Sail Charters
5 Power boat Charters
Charters: Charter companies, brochures, listings, correspondence, etc.
Box Folder
13 1 Charter listings and information
2 Charter listings and information
3 Charter listings and information
4 Charter organizations and brochures
5 Charter brochures
Broker correspondence; 1947-1975
Box Folder
14 1 Brokers correspondence; 1947
2 Brokers correspondence; 1948
3 Brokers correspondence; 1948
4 Brokers correspondence; 1949
5 Brokers correspondence; 1949
6 Brokers correspondence; 1949-1950
7 Brokers correspondence; 1951
Box Folder
15 1 Brokers correspondence; 1952
2 Brokers correspondence; 1953
3 Brokers correspondence; 1956-1957
4 Brokers correspondence; 1968-1969
5 Brokers correspondence; 1970-1975
Miscellaneous files; subjects alphabetical
Box Folder
16 1 Accounts payable; ca. 1961-1972
2 American Boatbuilding Corp.
3 Anchorage Inc./Dyecraft; ca. 1962-1965
4 Bartram Boat Co.
5 Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co.
6 Castle, Steven M.; ca. 1955-1965
7 Chris Craft & Co.
8 Concordia (main company)
9 Concordia (beetle cat division)
10 Cutlass Class Co.
Box Folder
17 1 Dettra flag Co.
2 Douglass & McLeod Inc.
3 Forms for Bill of Sale and Charters; ca 1950
4 Helllier (at Mystic Shipyard)
5 Herreshoff Mfg. Co.
6 Hinckley Co.
7 House Boats
8 Inquiries – general; ca. 1970-1975
9 Kiddle fire Inspection, report forms; ca. 1965
Box Folder
18 1 Misc. equipment, (brochures, etc.); ca. 1945
2 Mt. Desert yacht yard; ca. 1960
3 Nielson, Aage K.; ca. 1955-1965
4 Scheel yachts
5 Small fiberglass day sailors and cruising boats; ca. 1965
6 Sparkman & Stephens; ca. 1965-1970
7 Stonington Boat Works
8 Taxes (sales, miscellaneous, etc.); ca. 1960-1970
9 Tugboats, Inc.
10 U. S. Coast Guard (ventilation requirements); ca. 1967
11 Wadawanuck Club, Inc.; ca. 1974
12 Wilkes, S. B. (correspondence); ca. 1960
13 Winslow Co. (correspondence, brochures)
14 Yacht delivery information; ca. 1965
Miscelaneous information, advertisements, brochures, listings, etc.
Box Folder
19 1 Day sailers
2 Sloops, up to 30′
3 Sloops, 30′ and larger
4 Divided rigs
5 Motor sailers
6 Power boats, up to 45′
7 Power boats, 45′ and larger
Box Folder
20 1 Misc. material
2 Misc. material
3 Misc. material
4 Misc. material

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