Henry Aldridge & Son

The Devizes Auctioneers

RMS Titanic Nantucket Deck Chair to be Sold at Auction

September 15th sees specialist Titanic auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son hold their Bi-Annual auction of RMS Titanic, White Star Line and Ocean Liner Memorabilia. Over 200 lots of Titanic and associated artefacts are to be auctioned in Devizes, Wiltshire in England.

One of the most exciting lots in the sale is a rare deck chair from the ill-fated liner. The most remarkable aspect about the deck chair known as the Nantucket Chair, is the truly chequered history it has led since it sat on the deck of one of the most famous ships ever to grace the seas.

As Titanic was disappearing below the waves, Titanic Baker Charles Joughin claimed to have thrown at least 50 deck chairs into the water to act as floatation devices and many more must have been strewn about as the ship went down. Despite the number of chairs in the water, many were not brought to shore. The reason was logistical.

According to company records made during its body recovery tour, the cable ship "Mackay-Bennett", one of the ships chartered by White Star Line to recover the bodies, was often compelled to travel at "dead slow" speed while passing through heavy fog. Even if it were possible to spot deck chairs floating in the ocean under these conditions, it is doubtful that the crew would have been able or willing to launch their boats merely to retrieve them. No doubt many of the chairs followed the currents along with many of the bodies to the Gulf Stream and were lost to the ravages of the sea.

Other steamers such as the "Graf Waldersee" nevertheless spotted deck chairs en route to Halifax from Hamburg. Sightings were also made by the body recovery ships. There are documented accounts of both the "Mackay-Bennett" and the "MINIA", another cable vessel charted by White Star, actually retrieving deck chairs from the wrecksite (recovery ships "Mackay-Bennett", "MINIA", the Canadian government vessel "Montmagny" and the "Algerine", a private vessel out of Newfoundland, all picked up floating wreckage from the area.) There were contemporary reports of at least two deck chairs being retrieved from "Mackay-Bennett", perhaps the most credible of which comes from the diary of a "Mackay-Bennett" crewman, Frederick Hamilton, who recorded the recovery of a deck chair bearing the White Star mark. In almost 90 years since its recovery, that chair has not been traced to any public exhibition or known private collection. In short, although its recovery had been documented, its whereabouts remain uncertain.

The story of the chair turns to the present day, when Ian McCarthy and Ralph Cook JR ultimately purchased the Nantucket chair privately from a small auction house in North America. According to the information accompanying it, the chair had been owned by a Julien Louis LeMarteleur, a French cable ship captain working in Halifax at the time of the disaster, who had told his friend, Captain N. Robin Lee to whom he later gave the chair, that it had come from the deck of "TITANIC".

Through their ensuing research which brought them to Halifax and France, Ian and Ralph learned that in 1912 Captain LeMarteleur had been in command of the cable ship "Contre AMIRAL CAUBET", one of at least two cable repair vessels of the French company Compagnie Francaise des Cables Telegraphiques (CFCT), operating in Halifax. This discovery was significant because it placed the person to whom oral provenance attributed the chair (i.e. Captain LeMarteleur) in Halifax, in 1912 working on a cable ship. In fact, Ian and Ralph discovered through the records of CFCT, that Captain LeMarteleur's own vessel had been out of commission in 1912 and that his company had contracted with the Commercial Cable Company for the use of their cable ship, "Mackay-Bennett", to do the work of the "AMIRAL CAUBET". Company documents reveal that even as late as April 3, 1912, merely 11 days before the "TITANIC" struck the iceberg, Captain LeMarteleur was on the "Mackay-Bennett" completing some of the "AMIRAL CAUBET's" cable repair work for a break on the Brest, France to St. Pierre, Newfoundland cable.

CFCT company minutes reflect that the "Mackay-Bennett" would soon be temporarily released from its contract with CFCT to "recherche corpus de naufragel" (recover the corpses of the shipwrecked). Repair logs show that even after the disaster, the "Mackay-Bennett" continued to perform cable repairs on behalf of the CFCT. Thus, it is unmistakable that Captain Larnder of the "Mackay-Bennett" would have been well acquainted with Captain LeMarteleur of the "AMIRAL CAUBET".

During the course of their research Ian and Ralph serendipitously discovered the whereabouts of Captain LeMarteleur's former housekeeper and friend, Margarete Pennington (nee Buchholtz), still living in Nova Scotia. Mrs. Pennington related how the captain told her of the chair's "TITANIC" origins and of a piece of cork from a "TITANIC" life jacket which he also obtained. She confirmed that the chair had been given to Captain LeMarteleur's friend and fellow cable ship captain, N. Robin Lee of Halifax, and that she acquired the cork upon Captain LeMarteleur's death in 1973 as the sole heir to his estate. She also confirmed that the chair which Ian and Ralph had purchased from the auction house was the very same one she had seen in the home of her former employer and friend. Mr Craig Sopin has spoken with Mrs. Pennington at length after which she has executed her own sworn statement consistent with the information she related concerning the identity, acquisition and origin of the chair and cork.

The story of Captain LeMarteleur's chair had taken form. The chair was likely given to him by a crewmember of the "Mackay-Bennett" or its captain, along with the piece of cork, consistent with a long-standing maritime tradition. Notably, it was Captain LeMarteleur's company, likely with his recommendation, which had agreed to release the Commercial Cable Company from its contractual obligations to repair CFCT's cables so that the Mackay-Bennett could instead take the contract with White Star to recover the bodies. The crew of the "MINIA" similarly gave a "TITANIC" deck chair they recovered to Rev. Henry Cunningham in appreciation for his work on board their vessel.

In corroboration of Mrs. Pennington's statement, we know that in 1912 Captain LeMarteleur's own cable ship was out of service and that in April 1912 he was using the "MacKay-Bennett" to do the work of his own ship; and that he had been personally present on that ship and obviously acquainted with its crew and captain. We know of the crewman's account of the "MacKay-Bennett's" recovery of at least one "TITANIC" deck chair from the wrecksite containing a star in its headrest. We learned from Mrs. Pennington that Captain LeMarteleur collected maritime souvenirs and had literally hundreds of them including the deck chair and the piece of cork in his collection.

Both Mrs. Pennington and Captain Lee have each confirmed that Captain Lemarteleur told them that the chair and cork were recovered from the "TITANIC" wrecksite around the time of the disaster. The chair's overall appearance is consistent with the general design of White Star Line deck chairs and contains a carved star in its headrest which sufficiently matches the stars found carved in the headrests of other known chairs from that line as well as the description of the chair in the crewman's diary. The Nantucket Deck Chair is estimated to realise between £30000 and £35000 and the cork section is expected to sell for £2000-£3000.

The chair is not the only item from RMS Titanic to be sold on the 15th:

Father Francis M. Browne, a Jesuit Priest who travelled on Titanic to Queenstown, Ireland from Southampton. He is one of the most important figures in the Titanic disaster even though he was only on board for one night. Father Browne, a very keen photographer, the pictures he took between April 10th and April 11th 1912 record some of the most stunning images of the ship. These included the infamous miss with the American Ocean Liner New York as Titanic left Southampton, rare glimpses of the interior of the ship and the last ever photograph taken of the Captain of Titanic Edward J. Smith. Father Browne left his archive of over 42,000 photographs to the Jesuit Order.

During his time on board the ill fated liner Father Brown sent his niece a letter card on Titanic Stationary giving his impressions of the ship on his first trip. He describes it as "Grand - Grander - Grandest of all that I have seen, tho the same size as the Olympic she is Grander". He later adds "He only wishes he was going the whole way". The letter gives us a graphic description of the near miss with the New York. "The suction set about by the passing of the Titanic was so great that the New York, a big American Liner of 10,000 tons which was lying beside the Quay was drawn out, and all of her big cables snapped - with pistol shot reports like bits of twine. Then she came drifting towards us at great pace and everyone thought it was all up with one or the other of the ships, such shouting running and screaming". This letter is a highly valuable and rare historical document in itself, but a pincushion bought by Father Browne in the Barbers Shop on board Titanic is also to be auctioned, each lot carries an estimate of £12000-£15000. Father Browne adds in the letter "I am sending you a pin cushion, I got here in the Barbers Shop, it is not beautiful but it may be useful" Items purchased from on board Titanic are very rare but it is unusual for pieces of this calibre to be offered for sale on the open market.

Other interesting lots to go under the auctioneers hammer include a series of notes from Thomas Andrews. He was the designer of the Titanic and these notes relate to changes he wished made to her sister ship. They were made on the Maiden Voyage of the Olympic in 1911 and give a fascinating insight into the kind of man Thomas Andrews was. A very meticulous designer who would make a point of the smallest of details if it did not conform to his high standards. These notes are being sold over 5 lots and are expected to collectively sell for in excess of £4000. A colourful and very rare brochure promoting Titanic gives a wonderful insight into the luxurious nature of the vessel. Although in poor condition it is expected to sell for £1500-£2500

In all there are over 200 lots for sale with estimates ranging from £25 up to £30000. The auction starts at 3pm GMT on the 15th September at Henry Aldridge & Sons salerooms in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. They can be contacted either via telephone +44 1380 729199 or email andrew@henry-aldridge.co.uk.