Within the Fine Books & Manuscripts auction at Bonhams & Butterfields on Sunday, February 17, 2008 are five lots of ephemera related to the infamous British luxury passenger liner RMS Titanic. Crowned jewel of the White Star Liner at the time, the vessel sunk during its maiden voyage in the early hours of April 15, 1912. Nearly 96-years later, the Titanic disaster, mythology and items surrounding the tragic event have continued to fascinate millions.

Among the offerings at Bonhams are wreckage and recovery items, including: a piece of perhaps the most famous of all Titanic’s lifeboats –boat #6; an original Titanic silver print photograph-postcard; an advertisement for Titanic’s return voyage on April 20, 1912; several period press clippings from the New York Herald, Pennsylvania Chronicle and News and the Christian Herald Magazine; and sheet music memorializing the disaster — as well as two copies of a book on the tragedy.

Lifeboat #6 is perhaps the most notable of all the Titanic lifeboats - of which there were far too few. It was the first vessel lowered overboard and it carried the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, who, according to legend, forced her crewman to turn back and search for survivors. In 1986, #6 was offered for sale at an antiques exposition in Atlantic City, New Jersey where it was identified as the last surviving lifeboat from the historic disaster.

To be offered is a piece of molding removed from the top rear side of Titanic lifeboat #6, the wood fragment measures nearly four-inches long. The lot is accompanied by a copy of a ticket to the 1986 Atlantic City antiques show, a framed inscribed card from survivor Edwina MacKenzie, and a clipped newspaper photo of lifeboat #6. The lot is expected to bring $3,000-5,000 on February 17th.

The illustrated sale catalogs are online for review and purchase at
www.bonhams.com/us

Posted: 02|9|08 at 5:26 pm. Filed under: US News.