A handwritten letter from Colonel Archibald Gracie, a Titanic survivor, has become the most expensive piece of Titanic correspondence ever sold at auction, fetching £300,000 ($400,000) in Wiltshire, UK.
Historic Titanic Letter Fetches £300,000 at UK Auction
Historic Titanic Letter Fetches £300,000 at UK Auction
A rare letter from a Titanic passenger just days before the ship's sinking sells for an astonishing price.
The letter, dated April 10, 1912, was penned by Gracie just days before the tragic sinking of the Titanic. It was bought at Henry Aldridge and Son auction house by an anonymous collector, with the final price eclipsing the auctioneer's estimate of £60,000 by a staggering fivefold. Describing the letter as "prophetic," the auction listing detailed how Gracie expressed his intention to "await my journey's end" before making judgments on the splendid vessel.
This notable piece of history was written in cabin C51 aboard the Titanic the same day he embarked from Southampton, shortly before the ship met its fate after colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Gracie, who was among the nearly 2,200 individuals aboard, ultimately survived the catastrophe that claimed over 1,500 lives.
The letter was posted from Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, 1912, with a London postmark dated April 12. According to auctioneer details, it holds the record for the highest price paid for Titanic correspondence. Gracie later penned a memoir titled "The Truth About The Titanic," recounting his harrowing survival, which involved clinging to an overturned lifeboat in freezing waters. While he narrowly escaped with his life, Gracie faced severe health repercussions from the ordeal, ultimately succumbing to complications from diabetes shortly after his recovery from hypothermia.
This auction emphasizes the lasting fascination with Titanic history and the personal stories that continue to resonate to this day.
This notable piece of history was written in cabin C51 aboard the Titanic the same day he embarked from Southampton, shortly before the ship met its fate after colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Gracie, who was among the nearly 2,200 individuals aboard, ultimately survived the catastrophe that claimed over 1,500 lives.
The letter was posted from Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, 1912, with a London postmark dated April 12. According to auctioneer details, it holds the record for the highest price paid for Titanic correspondence. Gracie later penned a memoir titled "The Truth About The Titanic," recounting his harrowing survival, which involved clinging to an overturned lifeboat in freezing waters. While he narrowly escaped with his life, Gracie faced severe health repercussions from the ordeal, ultimately succumbing to complications from diabetes shortly after his recovery from hypothermia.
This auction emphasizes the lasting fascination with Titanic history and the personal stories that continue to resonate to this day.
