“Titanic Letter, Written Before the Ship Sank, Fetches ₹3.4 Crore at Auction: ‘A Fine Ship, But…’”

Related Articles

Air India Acquires Six Boeing 777 Jets, Marking First Purchase in Over Seven Years

2 days ago

Ashneer Grover Beams with Pride as Son Avyukt Scores 91% in Class 10 Boards, Shares Candid Photo to Celebrate

2 days ago

“Bhutan and Adani Group Collaborate on 5,000 MW Hydropower Initiative”

3 days ago

A historic letter written by Archibald Gracie, one of the most well-known survivors of the Titanic disaster, has sold for a staggering £300,000 (approximately ₹3.4 crore) at an auction in Wiltshire, England. The letter, penned by Gracie on April 10, 1912, just days before the ill-fated ship sank, provides a poignant look into the thoughts of a man who would later become a key witness to the tragedy that claimed the lives of over 1,500 people.

Gracie, who was traveling in first class aboard the Titanic, wrote the letter to his great-uncle while still on the ship, praising its grandeur yet withholding final judgment. “It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her,” he wrote. The letter was postmarked from Queenstown, Ireland, one of the ship’s last stops before the disaster.

The auction, held by Henry Aldridge & Son, saw intense bidding, with the letter ultimately fetching nearly six times its initial estimated price of £60,000. The letter, believed to be the only known piece of correspondence from Gracie while aboard the Titanic, was purchased by a private collector from the United States. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge described the item as an “exceptional museum-grade piece,” emphasizing its historical significance.

Gracie, who survived the sinking after jumping into the icy waters and clinging to an overturned lifeboat, went on to write The Truth about the Titanic, one of the most detailed survivor accounts of the tragedy. Gracie’s account provided invaluable insights into the events of the fateful night when the ship struck an iceberg and began its fatal descent into the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Though Gracie survived the disaster, he never fully recovered from the hypothermia he endured in the frigid sea. He later died in 1912 from complications related to diabetes.

The letter sold at auction offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the final days of the Titanic before its tragic sinking. It was one of two stops the Titanic made before the iceberg collision, and it serves as a lasting testament to the moments that preceded the infamous disaster.

This sale has further cemented the Titanic’s place in history as one of the most significant maritime tragedies, and the letter serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost aboard the “unsinkable” ship.

Sources By Agencies