A handwritten letter penned by Colonel Archibald Gracie, a passenger aboard the Titanic, has been sold for an unprecedented £300,000 ($400,000) at a UK auction, significantly exceeding its estimated value. This letter, dated 10 April 1912, just days before the ship's tragic sinking, was purchased by an anonymous bidder during an auction at Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire on Sunday. The letter is deemed "prophetic" as Col Gracie expressed a desire to "await my journey's end" before passing judgment on the Titanic.
Titanic Survivor's Historic Letter Fetches Record £300,000 at Auction
Titanic Survivor's Historic Letter Fetches Record £300,000 at Auction
A remarkable letter from a Titanic passenger, written shortly before the ship's ill-fated journey, has achieved a staggering price at auction.
Col Gracie, who boarded the Titanic as one of approximately 2,200 passengers and crew members destined for New York, penned the letter from cabin C51 while the ship lay anchored in Queenstown, Ireland, on 11 April 1912. It was sent out with a London postmark dated 12 April, mere hours before the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic, resulting in the loss of more than 1,500 lives from its ranks.
The auctioneer noted that this letter garnered the highest bid for any written correspondence from the Titanic, showcasing the significant interest in artifacts related to this historical maritime disaster. Col Gracie is well-known for his vivid recounting of the tragedy, chronicled in his book "The Truth About The Titanic," where he shared his harrowing experience escaping the sinking vessel by clinging to an overturned lifeboat in freezing waters. Many fellow survivors succumbed to the harsh conditions thereafter.
Despite surviving the catastrophe, Colonel Gracie's health deteriorated due to the severe effects of hypothermia, and he succumbed to complications from diabetes on 4 December 1912. His letter stands as a poignant reminder of the catastrophe that unfolded during the Titanic's maiden voyage, capturing a moment in time just before history was irrevocably altered.
The auctioneer noted that this letter garnered the highest bid for any written correspondence from the Titanic, showcasing the significant interest in artifacts related to this historical maritime disaster. Col Gracie is well-known for his vivid recounting of the tragedy, chronicled in his book "The Truth About The Titanic," where he shared his harrowing experience escaping the sinking vessel by clinging to an overturned lifeboat in freezing waters. Many fellow survivors succumbed to the harsh conditions thereafter.
Despite surviving the catastrophe, Colonel Gracie's health deteriorated due to the severe effects of hypothermia, and he succumbed to complications from diabetes on 4 December 1912. His letter stands as a poignant reminder of the catastrophe that unfolded during the Titanic's maiden voyage, capturing a moment in time just before history was irrevocably altered.
