Henry Aldridge & Son

The Devizes Auctioneers

Titanic Auction Breaks More Records.

Henry Aldridge and Son, the world’s leading auctioneers of Titanic and White Star Line memorabilia held their latest auction of Titanic items on October 18^th. Against a gloomy economic backdrop the Devizes auctioneers recorded their best ever sale. The auctioneers again showed their renowned flair for publicity gaining television coverage from the likes of CNN, BBC, ITV, NBC and CBS as well as numerous other radio, television and newspaper outlets across the world. This saw the auctioneers’ fielding over 50 enquires an hour at one stage in the days leading up to the auction. The publicity in no small measure helped to ensure the sale was the great success it was.

The auction featured the personal collection of Titanic First Class Steward Edmund Stone. It was the most important archive of its type from a Titanic crewman to be offered for a number of years. Edmund Stone was aged 33 at the time of the Titanic sinking and lived at 105 St Andrews Road, Southampton with his wife Elizabeth. Mr Stone was responsible for cabins E1-E42 on E Deck of Titanic. Notable passengers included the famed American painter and muralist Francis Millet and Mabel Francatelli who was maid to the infamous British Aristocrats Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon.

The collection itself comprised of the master key for cabins E-1-E42, which would have been used by Mr Stone in the hours before Titanic was lost to gain access to these cabins and possibly secure them after they were vacated.   The key itself was unique and carried a small brass tag showing its use, it sold to a US collector for £84000. Other items include his pocket knife £9500, steward’s pencil which would have been used to take orders £4000 and also his pocket watch and chain. The hands and movement were frozen in time at 2.16, capturing forever the moment that Edmund Stone entered the freezing North Atlantic. The watch itself brought a world record price for a Titanic item of its type selling to a telephone bidder from the US for £94000.  Another historically important piece was from the White Star Line to Mr Stone’s widow on May 23^rd. It callously said “Advise you that the body of your husband has been identified and buried at sea, the condition of the body unfortunately not permitting its removal to Halifax for burial”. This sold to a telephone bidder from the US for £8000. Mr Stone’s body was recovered by the Mackay Bennett and buried at sea on Sunday 21^st April. He was allocated the number 41 and all of his possessions were gathered together in a canvas bag bearing this number and sent back to his widow. This small canvas bag was included in the sale together with some paperwork that was also recovered from his body. The canvas bag sold to a Canadian museum for £23500. The collection itself smashed the world record for a Titanic archive at auction selling for £235000.

However these lots were not the only items sold in the sale. A lifejacket from a Titanic victim sold to a collector from Ireland for £55000, a second class Passenger list from the Titanic made £42000, a letter from the SS Minia which was one of the recovery ships chartered by the White Star Line after the sinking made £17500 and a rare Titanic promotional poster printed by the Liverpool Printing and Stationary Company made £29500. Other important pieces included a piece of Titanic wreck wood from the Grand Aft Staircase which made £23500, a letter from a Titanic  Crewman writing back to his father from the Carpathia on April 19^th £11100 and two Titanic postcards one from Richard Smith and the other Herbert Denbuoy made £10000 and £8200 respectively, the latter having been sold only months before at a London saleroom for £1200.

The last Titanic survivor Millvina Dean consigned several pieces from her personal collection to the auction. These included nothing from the ship itself but amongst their number were a suitcase given to the Dean family by the people of New York days after the sinking. This realised £10800 together with a selection of Titanic relief fund letters that made £11000 and a selection of limited edition prints £9250.

Entries are now being accepted for the April 2009 auction, items already consigned include the complete collection of Titanic survivor Barbara Daignton West which is estimated at £40000-£60000. For press and all other enquiries, please contact Andrew Aldridge BA Hons MRICS, Chartered Valuation Surveyor on 01380 729199.