The unsinkable market – five upcoming Titanic-related lots

29 June 2020 Famous events from history often form the basis of individual collecting markets in their own right.

Third class Titanic promotional brochure – estimated at £4000-6000 at Charles Miller.

Think of the Battle of Britain, the Battle of Trafalgar or The Peterloo Massacre – all of these events have engendered their own dedicated memorabilia enthusiasts and aficionados.

But few historical episodes command the following or level of market activity as the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The emotion, fame, films and even the nostalgia for the stream age, as well as the incredible stories of passengers and crew onboard, mean that the event remains at the forefront of public consciousness.

The collecting market that has built around it is extensive and varied. It includes items with a direct connection to the Titanic and the White Star Line company, which can command extensive prices, but also posters, postcards, documents and other pieces of ephemera and memorabilia.

Some of the material that emerges has strong connections to the event, while others have more tenuous links. But this all adds up to a wide and fascinating market, where buying opportunities abound.

Here is a selection of five Titanic-related lots coming up at auctions on thesaleroom.com.

1. Third class brochure

A rare third class Titanic promotional brochure (pictured top) is offered at Charles Miller on July 7. The multi-page oblong format brochure has colour-printed covers featuring an 'Olympic' class liner steaming into New York and passing the Statue of Liberty. Inside are five colour plates of A Third Class Dining Room, The Third Class General Room, A Third Class Two-Berth Cabin, The Third Class Smoke Room and A Third Class Four-Berth Cabin interspersed with seven black and white photographic plates showing various aspects of the building and launching of the Olympic.

An object that provides an intriguing glimpse into the inside of the world’s famous sunken ship, it is estimated at £4000-6000.

View the catalogue entry for this Titanic promotional brochure on thesaleroom.com.

2. White Star captain’s log

Naval album for White Star Line Captain Charles Edwin Stark – estimated at £2000-3000 at C&T.

A naval album for White Star Line Captain Charles Edwin Stark that includes some interesting Titanic-related items has come to auction.

It includes photographs of ships, passengers and crew as well as a printed communication from the White Star Line headed ‘Special Meeting April 22nd 1912’ (7 days after the Titanic's loss). The meeting was attended by all the senior directors of the company at which their sadness and some important facts relating to the tragedy of the Titanic are recorded.

Captain Stark served with the White Star Line from 1894 to 1918 (he apparently died in 1919), starting as 3rd Officer on board Ionic and finally progressing to Commander on board the SS Armenian and SS Suevic.

The album is offered at C&T on July 8, estimated at £2000-3000.

View the catalogue entry for this White Star captain’s log on thesaleroom.com.

3. Spode coffee cup

Early 20th century Spode coffee cup and saucer – estimated at £80-120 at Adam Partridge.

This Spode coffee cup and saucer might not turn too many heads at first.

However, it has a registration number (580303 RU7220 which indicates that it was supplied by Stonier & Co in Liverpool to the White Star Line in the early 20th century.

The cobalt blue ground and gilt cup and saucer therefore is the same as those that were used on the Titanic – as well as possibly her sister ships Olympic and Britannic.

It is offered at Adam Partridge on July 1-2, estimated at £80-120.

View the catalogue entry for this Spode coffee cup and saucer on thesaleroom.com.

4. Titanic pictorial paper and postcards

A copy of the illustrated ‘The Deathless Story of the Titanic’, offered along with six Bamforth black and white Titanic memorial postcards – estimated at £80-120 at Charles Miller.

A copy of the illustrated Lloyd’s Weekly News pictorial paper The Deathless Story of the Titanic, second edition, is offered at Charles Miller on July 7.

It is illustrated throughout and is offered together as a single lot a complete set of six Bamforth black and white Titanic memorial postcards. All six are different but mentioned the hymn-title Nearer my God to thee... which was reputedly sung just before Titanic sank.

Estimate: £80-120.

View the catalogue entry for this Titanic lot on thesaleroom.com.

5. First class brochure

At the top of this page, we featured a rare third class Titanic promotional brochure at Charles Miller on July 7. But another lot at the same sale is a similar promotional brochure but for first and second class accommodation.

It is slightly larger and more lavish and includes a double-width fold-out coloured plate of the first class dining saloon.

Estimate: £2500-3500.