A handwritten letter by Colonel Archibald Gracie, penned just days before the Titanic's tragic sinking, has made headlines after selling for an astonishing £300,000 ($400,000) at a recent UK auction.
Titanic Passenger's Prophetic Letter Fetches £300,000 at Auction
Titanic Passenger's Prophetic Letter Fetches £300,000 at Auction
A historic letter from a Titanic survivor has set a new auction record, emphasizing the enduring legacy of the ill-fated ship.
The letter, dated April 10, 1912, captures Col Gracie’s sentiments as he boards the Titanic, reflecting on the vessel’s grandeur while hinting at a foreboding sense with his remark to an acquaintance that he would "await my journey's end" before forming an opinion on the ship. This correspondence was written shortly after he embarked on the Titanic for its ill-fated voyage to New York City, just five days prior to the disaster that claimed over 1,500 lives when the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
The letter, which was sold at Henry Aldridge and Son auction house in Wiltshire, drew intense interest, ultimately selling for five times its estimated price of £60,000. It was penned from cabin C51 and was sent while the Titanic docked at Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, and postmarked in London on April 12.
Col Gracie, a first-class passenger, is known for surviving the tragedy by clambering onto an overturned lifeboat amid freezing waters. His firsthand recounting of the sinking has been immortalized in his book, “The Truth About The Titanic,” where he shared harrowing details of the events that unfolded that night. Despite his survival, Col Gracie's health deteriorated severely due to hypothermia and injuries sustained during the disaster. He succumbed to complications from diabetes shortly after, falling into a coma in December 1912.
This auction not only marks a significant moment in Titanic history but also highlights the enduring fascination with personal narratives from one of the most infamous maritime disasters.
The letter, which was sold at Henry Aldridge and Son auction house in Wiltshire, drew intense interest, ultimately selling for five times its estimated price of £60,000. It was penned from cabin C51 and was sent while the Titanic docked at Queenstown, Ireland, on April 11, and postmarked in London on April 12.
Col Gracie, a first-class passenger, is known for surviving the tragedy by clambering onto an overturned lifeboat amid freezing waters. His firsthand recounting of the sinking has been immortalized in his book, “The Truth About The Titanic,” where he shared harrowing details of the events that unfolded that night. Despite his survival, Col Gracie's health deteriorated severely due to hypothermia and injuries sustained during the disaster. He succumbed to complications from diabetes shortly after, falling into a coma in December 1912.
This auction not only marks a significant moment in Titanic history but also highlights the enduring fascination with personal narratives from one of the most infamous maritime disasters.
