The great Boston ship builder Donald McKay designed Flying Cloud for the California trade during the Gold Rush of 1849. Launched in 1851, this “clipper” was one of the fastest sailing ships ever built. Commanded by Josiah Perkins Cressy and navigated by his wife, Eleanor, Flying Cloud sped from New York to San Francisco in just 89 days and 8 hours, smashing all records. Previously, the journey took at least 110 days. The Boucher Manufacturing Company— supervised by a former officer of Flying Cloud-built this model using McKay’s original drawings. To create a convincing picture of the ship under full sail, Boucher used an electric fan to blow the sails and then set linen fabric into molds constructed from the profiles.