Henry Aldridge & Son

The Devizes Auctioneers

 

 

 

 

Press Release

More World Records Broken at

 Titanic Memorabilia Auction

 

 

Henry Aldridge and Son held their latest auction of Titanic and White Star Line memorabilia on April 17th at their Devizes auction rooms. Prior to saleday it was on exhibition at Belfast City Hall, Belfast the home of the Titanic during the “Made in Belfast” festival April 3rd-12th where over 22000 people viewed a selection of the items on offer.

 

One of the stars of the show in this auction was a small set of keys bearing a brass key tag with the words Binoculars Box. These were owned by Titanic’s first second Officer David Blair and would have been for use in a teak box which would have been located on the bulwark of the Bridge wings.

 

Blair was the first second officer on Titanic, he sailed with the ship from Belfast to Southampton and was due carry out his duties as a senior officer until a last minute change in personnel. Henry Wilde was first officer of the Olympic and he was transferred to Titanic. Wilde was a close friend of Captain Edward J. Smith and due to his experience with the Olympic class it was deemed a good idea to bring him over to Titanic.

 

The following is taken from Charles Lightoller’s autobiography written in 1935, he was Blair’s successor as Second Officer.

 

 'Unfortunately whilst in Southampton, we had a reshuffle amongst the Senior Officers. Owing to the Olympic being laid up, the ruling lights of the White Star Line thought it would be a good plan to send the Chief Officer of the Olympic, just for the voyage as Chief Officer of the Titanic, to help, with his experience of her sister ship. This doubtful policy threw both Murdoch and me out of our stride; and, apart from the disappointment of having to step back in our rank, caused quite a little confusion Murdoch from Chief, took over my duties as First I stepped back on Blair's toes, as Second, and picked up the many threads of his job, whilst he - luckily for him as it turned out - was left behind. The other officers remained the same. However, a couple of days in Southampton saw each of us settled in our new positions and familiar with our duties.'

 

Blair was without doubt one of the luckiest men alive at that point because this decision almost certainly saved his life as both Henry Wilde and William Murdoch the Chief and First officers on Titanic both drowned.

 

They and the crow's nest key, sold by Henry Aldridge September 2007, were inadvertently removed by Officer Blair when he left the Titanic and was replaced by Henry Wilde. This set of keys were originally obtained by leading Titanic & Maritime Historian, lecturer and authority Peter Boyd-Smith in 1977 and later formed a part of Southampton Maritime Museums, Titanic Exhibition until November 2009 and were sold for £55000

 

Another fascinating and unique lot on offer was an exceptional letter written over 3 sides on onboard stationery by Adolphe Saafeld, First Class passenger on R.M.S. Titanic. The value in this letter is the sheer quality and depth of its content, which gives the reader a rare glimpse of life as a First Class Passenger on the Titanic, a partial transcript of which can be found below.

 

“After leaving at noon we had quite a little excitement, as the tremendous suction of our steamer made all the hawsers of the S.S. New York snap as we passed her and she drifted on to our boat, a collision being averted by our stopping & our tugs coming to the rescue of the "New York". You will probably have read of the occurrence in the papers.

 

Thanks for your wire. Bauer and Burfy and small also sent telegrams.

 

The weather is calm and fine, the sky overcast. There are only 370 First Class passengers. So far the boat does not move and goes very steadily. It is not nice to travel alone and leave you behind. I think you will have to come next time.

 

I have quite an appetite for luncheon. Soup, fillet of plaice, a loin chop with cauliflower and fried potatoes, Apple Manhattan and Rocquefort cheese, washed down with a large Spaten beer iced, so you can see I am not faring badly.

 

10pm.

I had a long promenade and a doze for an hour up to 5 o'clock. The band played in the afternoon for tea, but I savour a cafe in the Verandah cafe with bread and butter and quite thought I should have to pay but anything and everything in the eating line is gratis.

 

At 6 o'clock we anchor outside Cherbourg and two tugs with passengers came alongside. Owing to our little mishap at Southampton we were all one hour late and had dinner only at 7.30 instead of 7 o'clock as usual.

 

The name of my friend, the White Star manager in London works wonders and I have a small table for two to myself. I made a very good dinner and had two cigars in the smoke room and shall now go to bed as I am tired. But for a slight vibration, you would not know that you are at sea”

 

This item sold for £56000, a world record for a Titanic related letter.

 

Other important items sold included a stunning archive of photographs relating to Titanic, her passengers and crew. One in particular was of Rosa Abbott, the only third class female passenger to be pulled from the water around the wreck site alive. This made another world record, £35000 which is the highest amount ever for a single Titanic related photograph. A number of important postcards including one example written onboard the Titanic by a second class passenger from Cornwall were offered with the onboard card selling for £7000. A very rare red ground Promotional Brochure for Titanic’s Launch and  Olympic’s maiden voyage sold to a British collector for £22000. Entries are now being invited for our October 16th auction of Titanic and White Star Line Memorabilia which will be held at Unit 1 Bath Road Business Centre, Bath Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1XA.

 

Please contact either Alan or Andrew Aldridge for further details on 0044 1380 729199 or visit our website at www.henry-aldridge.com.