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Time of India
27-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Rs 3.35 crore paid for rare Titanic letter: A 'prophetic' message written days before the ship sank
A letter written by Titanic survivor Colonel Archibald Gracie just days before the ship sank has been sold for a record-breaking Rs 3.35 crore (£300,000) at a UK auction. The letter, written on April 10, 1912, from Gracie's first-class cabin, contains a prophetic statement about the ship. Gracie survived the sinking by climbing onto an overturned lifeboat and later documented his experience in the book The Truth About The Titanic. This letter, believed to be the only surviving correspondence from Gracie aboard the Titanic, was sold to a private collector. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A Prophetic Message Before the Tragedy A Survivor's Detailed Account Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Lasting Impact of the Disaster A letter written by Titanic survivor Colonel Archibald Gracie just days before the tragic sinking has been sold for a record-breaking Rs 3.35 crore (£300,000) at a UK auction, according to reports from BBC and other outlets. The sale, held at Henry Aldridge & Son auction house in Wiltshire, drew significant attention, with the letter fetching five times its estimated price of Rs 67 lakh (£60,000).Dated April 10, 1912, the letter was penned by Col Gracie the very day he boarded the Titanic in Southampton. Writing from his first-class cabin, C51, Gracie remarked to an acquaintance that the Titanic was "a fine ship but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her." This statement, later described as "prophetic," was mailed after the Titanic's brief stop in Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, 1912, and postmarked in London on April Andrew Aldridge highlighted the significance of the item, calling it an "exceptional museum grade piece" and noting that it achieved the highest price ever for any correspondence written aboard the Titanic. The letter eventually went to a private collector from the United Gracie was among the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew members on the Titanic's maiden voyage to New York. When the ship struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic, over 1,500 lives were lost. Gracie's survival story stands out among the many harrowing accounts of that night. He survived by clambering onto an overturned lifeboat after jumping from the sinking ship into freezing waters. In his later writings, Gracie recalled that more than half the men who initially reached the overturned lifeboat eventually perished from exhaustion or rescue by the R.M.S. Carpathia, Gracie returned to New York and documented his experience in the book The Truth About The Titanic, which remains one of the most detailed firsthand accounts of the Gracie initially survived the catastrophe, his health never fully recovered. The hypothermia and injuries he sustained ultimately contributed to his declining condition. He fell into a coma on December 2, 1912, and passed away two days later from complications related to letter sold at auction is believed to be the only known correspondence written by Gracie from aboard the Titanic. Its historic significance and the chilling nature of its contents have cemented it as a crucial artifact from one of history's most infamous maritime disasters.
Miami Herald
27-04-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Titanic survivor's ominous letter fetches nearly $400K at auction
A lettercard written by Titanic survivor Archibald Gracie has sold for £300,000 ($399,000) by Henry Aldridge & Son Auction House in Wiltshire, England. Why it matters More than a century after the Titanic's tragic sinking, the public's fascination with its history remains strong. This auction significantly exceeds the initial estimate of £60,000 ($79,878), highlighting the enduring fascination with Titanic artifacts and their historical significance. The letter represents one of the few surviving firsthand accounts from a passenger who lived to document the infamous disaster that killed over 1,500 people in its maiden voyage, making it an exceptional historical document. What to know The rare document, penned by Gracie on April 10, 1912, just days before the ship's tragic sinking, contains the eerily prescient line: 'It is a fine ship but I shall await my journeys end before I pass judgment on her.' The letter was written to the seller's great-uncle and postmarked from Queenstown, Ireland, one of the Titanic's final stops before its fateful journey across the Atlantic. Gracie, a first-class passenger assigned to cabin C51, survived the sinking by jumping from the ship and climbing onto an overturned collapsible boat before being rescued. After his rescue by the R.M.S. Carpathia, Gracie wrote The Truth about the Titanic, considered one of the most detailed accounts of the catastrophe. He never fully recovered from the hypothermia he suffered during the sinking and died from diabetes complications later in 1912. What people are saying Henry Aldridge & Son Auction House told Newsweek in an email: 'The record braking prices and global participation from collectors are a testament to the enduring interest in the Titanic the world over, the stories of those men, women and children are told through the memorabilia and their memories are kept alive through those items.' Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge: 'This is an exceptional museum grade piece.' What happens next The letter has been purchased by an anonymous private collector from the United States, where it will likely become part of a significant private collection of Titanic memorabilia. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article. Related Articles New 'Titanic' Analysis Reveals Ship's Violent Final MomentsMan Visits Titanic Museum, What He Does Next Quickly Goes ViralThis 'Titanic' Character's Death Scene Was Cut Because It Was 'Way Too Much'Fake Titanic 2 Trailer Viewed By Millions Of Hopeful Fans 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
26-04-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Titanic Survivor's Ominous Letter Fetches Nearly $400K at Auction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A lettercard written by Titanic survivor Archibald Gracie has sold for £300,000 ($399,000) by Henry Aldridge & Son Auction House in Wiltshire, England. Why It Matters More than a century after the Titanic's tragic sinking, the public's fascination with its history remains strong. This auction significantly exceeds the initial estimate of £60,000 ($79,878), highlighting the enduring fascination with Titanic artifacts and their historical significance. The letter represents one of the few surviving firsthand accounts from a passenger who lived to document the infamous disaster that killed over 1,500 people in its maiden voyage, making it an exceptional historical document. What To Know The rare document, penned by Gracie on April 10, 1912, just days before the ship's tragic sinking, contains the eerily prescient line: "It is a fine ship but I shall await my journeys end before I pass judgment on her." The letter was written to the seller's great-uncle and postmarked from Queenstown, Ireland, one of the Titanic's final stops before its fateful journey across the Atlantic. Gracie, a first-class passenger assigned to cabin C51, survived the sinking by jumping from the ship and climbing onto an overturned collapsible boat before being rescued. After his rescue by the R.M.S. Carpathia, Gracie wrote The Truth about the Titanic, considered one of the most detailed accounts of the catastrophe. He never fully recovered from the hypothermia he suffered during the sinking and died from diabetes complications later in 1912. What People Are Saying Henry Aldridge & Son Auction House told Newsweek in an email: "The record braking prices and global participation from collectors are a testament to the enduring interest in the Titanic the world over, the stories of those men, women and children are told through the memorabilia and their memories are kept alive through those items." Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge: "This is an exceptional museum grade piece." Kino. S.O.S. Titanic, 1970er, 1970s, Film, Ocean liner, S.O.S. Titanic, scene, sinking of the Titanic, S.O.S. Titanic, 1970er, 1970s, Film, Ocean liner, S.O.S. Titanic, scene, sinking of the Titanic, Szene Als die Titanic einen Eisberg... Kino. S.O.S. Titanic, 1970er, 1970s, Film, Ocean liner, S.O.S. Titanic, scene, sinking of the Titanic, S.O.S. Titanic, 1970er, 1970s, Film, Ocean liner, S.O.S. Titanic, scene, sinking of the Titanic, Szene Als die Titanic einen Eisberg rammt, sinkt sie innerhalb von drei Stunden. 1503 Menschen kommen ums Leben., 1979. More FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images What Happens Next The letter has been purchased by an anonymous private collector from the United States, where it will likely become part of a significant private collection of Titanic memorabilia. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
