Arthur Piver Blueprints

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DavidDenton

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I have recently acquired a complete set of Arthur Piver blueprints with instruction manual on building the AA-17 trimaran. In its original mailing tube. I am looking to get it valued for insurance purposes and could use help finding someone who would know about it. Please feel free to contact me via email @ mrdaviddenton5@gmail.com
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As the Picraft business shuttered with Arthur's disappearance in the late 1960s I'm sure the issues of "leased" materials is no longer an issue. And the fact that blueprints and other materials related to "The father of multi hull design" only seem to be available in museums and historical archives I am not so convinced that they hold no monetary value. I appreciate your insight. But I am looking for a more informed opinion.
 
The only limitations or terms of use. I can find on the blueprints or instruction booklet are stated that the blueprints are only to be used to build one boat. As far as I know. The person that left me the blueprints never built a trimaran.
 
DavidDenton said:
As the Picraft business shuttered with Arthur's disappearance in the late 1960s I'm sure the issues of "leased" materials is no longer an issue. And the fact that blueprints and other materials related to "The father of multi hull design" only seem to be available in museums and historical archives I am not so convinced that they hold no monetary value. I appreciate your insight. But I am looking for a more informed opinion.
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A museum curator might be able to advise.
 
DavidDenton said:
As the Picraft business shuttered with Arthur's disappearance in the late 1960s I'm sure the issues of "leased" materials is no longer an issue. And the fact that blueprints and other materials related to "The father of multi hull design" only seem to be available in museums and historical archives I am not so convinced that they hold no monetary value. I appreciate your insight. But I am looking for a more informed opinion.
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I'm sure that the rights to the plans would be part of Arthur Piver's estate, and pass to the beneficiaries of the estate. And the article I linked to clearly states that the plans are only leased, not sold.
 
If that is the legal route I must take then I will. That is why I am looking for professionals that have knowledge on the subject and material at hand. Someone who could tell me definitively what my next course of action would be. This person seems to have sold just a page of the blueprints mounted on a frame. Blueprint Plans - Trimaran Yacht by Arthur Piver Blueprint Plans - Trimaran Yacht by Arthur Piver
 
DavidDenton said:
If that is the legal route I must take then I will. That is why I am looking for professionals that have knowledge on the subject and material at hand. Someone who could tell me definitively what my next course of action would be. This person seems to have sold just a page of the blueprints mounted on a frame. Blueprint Plans - Trimaran Yacht by Arthur Piver Blueprint Plans - Trimaran Yacht by Arthur Piver
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Like others, doubt they have any commercial value as highly unlikely anybody would want to build a boat to the plans. A monetary value can only be established if there are willing buyers or a record of previous sales of the same or similar item. Again doubt you will find this, nor do I think any "expert" exists who can do any better than guess unless they have knowledge of previous transactions.

So the real question is who would value them? They may have some historic relevance but there is already an extensive collection of material related to Piver including plans here catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/ARC273 so guess this would be the first port of call to find out if they are interested in adding to the collection.

There may be a market for them as decorative pieces as your link shows and maybe you can sell them that way as a one off, although doubt there is really much interest in either Piver or that era of design in the UK.
 
One thing I would note from my former association with archival maps and other documents is that their being in the original mailing tube is a BAD thing; they will have been damaged by long storage rolled up, and will have a permanent curl that is almost impossible to remove. Any such documents should be stored flat for archival purposes. The only good thing is that they will have been kept from light, which fades blueprints. But even if they have any value (which I doubt) it will have been lessened by the nature of the storage.
 
Tranona said:
Like others, doubt they have any commercial value as highly unlikely anybody would want to build a boat to the plans. A monetary value can only be established if there are willing buyers or a record of previous sales of the same or similar item. Again doubt you will find this, nor do I think any "expert" exists who can do any better than guess unless they have knowledge of previous transactions.

So the real question is who would value them? They may have some historic relevance but there is already an extensive collection of material related to Piver including plans here catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/ARC273 so guess this would be the first port of call to find out if they are interested in adding to the collection.

There may be a market for them as decorative pieces as your link shows and maybe you can sell them that way as a one off, although doubt there is really much interest in either Piver or that era of design in the UK.
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I think that for most people, Piver is associated with the Victress trimarans that Tetley and Crowhurst used in the Golden Globe race.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
I think that for most people, Piver is associated with the Victress trimarans that Tetley and Crowhurst used in the Golden Globe race.
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Not a good association perhaps. This is all 60+ years ago and a gnat bite in the history of yachting. "Most" people with direct memory (not through the recent films and docus) are disappearing fast.
 
Tranona said:
Not a good association perhaps. This is all 60+ years ago and a gnat bite in the history of yachting. "Most" people with direct memory (not through the recent films and docus) are disappearing fast.
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I sort of have a vague memory that Pivertris weren’t that good …..Kelsall soon turned up in that era?
 
AntarcticPilot said:
One thing I would note from my former association with archival maps and other documents is that their being in the original mailing tube is a BAD thing; they will have been damaged by long storage rolled up, and will have a permanent curl that is almost impossible to remove. Any such documents should be stored flat for archival purposes. The only good thing is that they will have been kept from light, which fades blueprints. But even if they have any value (which I doubt) it will have been lessened by the nature of the storage.
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They do have a an tenacious curl. And you are correct the print is in amazing condition.
 
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