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A letter written by Archibald Gracie, a significant survivor of the Titanic, has been auctioned for $399,000. This letter, addressed to Gracie’s great-uncle, is dated April 10, 1912, just days before the ship’s tragic sinking. In the note, Gracie described the Titanic as a “fine ship,” while expressing a desire to reserve his final judgment until after his journey.
The auction, conducted by Henry Aldridge & Son in Wiltshire, England, saw the letter sold to a private American collector, surpassing its initial estimate of £60,000 significantly.
This letter is reportedly the only known example written by Gracie while onboard the Titanic, which met a disastrous fate off the coast of Newfoundland after striking an iceberg, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,500 lives during its first voyage.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge emphasized the importance of the letter, calling it an “exceptional museum grade piece.” He noted its historical significance, particularly the poignant line, “It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her,” which underscores the tragic irony of the Titanic’s fate.
Gracie himself survived the disaster by jumping from the Titanic and finding refuge on an overturned collapsible boat, where he was later rescued by passengers aboard another lifeboat. After returning to New York City, he authored “The Truth about the Titanic,” a detailed memoir of his harrowing experience.
Boarding the Titanic in Southampton, Gracie occupied first-class cabin C51. Aldridge pointed out that Gracie’s account is one of the most comprehensive records of the ill-fated voyage. However, he succumbed to the effects of hypothermia, along with complications from diabetes, later that same year.
The letter was postmarked from Queenstown, Ireland, marking one of the two stops the Titanic made before its tragic sinking.
Henry Aldridge & Son also featured a variety of Titanic memorabilia in their recent auction, including a pocket watch and a third-class ticket belonging to two passengers who perished in the disaster. Previous auctions of Titanic-related items, such as pocket watches, have captivated collectors, with one watch fetching a staggering $2 million. This price surpassed a record from earlier in the year, where another gold watch sold for approximately $1.46 million. That watch belonged to the wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic, John Jacob Astor, who had an estimated fortune of $87 million at the time of the sinking.
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