Col. Archibald Gracie, a first-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic, described the ship as a “fine ship” in a letter dated April 10, 1912. Just four days later, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, leading to one of maritime history's most famous disasters. Gracie himself survived the sinking after a struggle for survival in the frigid waters.
The letter was auctioned by Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire, England, where it drew significant interest, eventually fetching an impressive price of £300,000, or roughly $399,000. The correspondence, neatly penned and addressed to an unnamed European ambassador, included distinctive letterhead showcasing a red flag with a white star and noted it was sent from “On board R.M.S. Titanic.”
The letter was postmarked in London on April 12, 1912, mere days before the Titanic met its fate on April 15, when it sank after colliding with an iceberg. The unidentified buyer, based in the United States, remains undisclosed, as does the identity of the seller, the great-uncle of the letter's owner. Andrew Aldridge, managing director of the auction house, confirmed the sale but withheld further details on the parties involved.
The letter was auctioned by Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire, England, where it drew significant interest, eventually fetching an impressive price of £300,000, or roughly $399,000. The correspondence, neatly penned and addressed to an unnamed European ambassador, included distinctive letterhead showcasing a red flag with a white star and noted it was sent from “On board R.M.S. Titanic.”
The letter was postmarked in London on April 12, 1912, mere days before the Titanic met its fate on April 15, when it sank after colliding with an iceberg. The unidentified buyer, based in the United States, remains undisclosed, as does the identity of the seller, the great-uncle of the letter's owner. Andrew Aldridge, managing director of the auction house, confirmed the sale but withheld further details on the parties involved.
