Titanic Letter Sells For Nearly $400,000 At Auction

A missive written by a first-class rider aboard nan Titanic conscionable days earlier nan vessel sank sold for astir $400,000 (300,000 pounds) astatine auction complete nan weekend.

The letter, described arsenic “museum grade,” was penned by Col. Archibald Gracie and mailed from Southampton, England, connected April 10, 1912 — nan time nan ill-fated liner departed connected its maiden voyage. It was addressed to nan great-uncle of nan seller and is believed to beryllium nan only known missive written by Gracie while onboard nan Titanic.

“It is simply a good ship, but I shall await my journey’s extremity earlier I walk judgement connected her,” Gracie wrote successful nan note, according to nan Associated Press.

Who was Col. Archibald Gracie?

Gracie boarded nan Titanic successful Southampton and was assigned first-class compartment C51. He survived nan disaster by jumping into nan icy North Atlantic and clinging to an overturned collapsible lifeboat. He was yet rescued by passengers aboard different vessel and taken to nan R.M.S. Carpathia.

After returning to New York, Gracie wrote “The Truth About nan Titanic,” which historians respect arsenic 1 of nan astir elaborate firsthand accounts of nan disaster. He ne'er afloat recovered from nan effects of hypothermia and died later that twelvemonth from complications related to diabetes.

The missive bears a Queenstown, Ireland, postmark — 1 of 2 stops nan Titanic made earlier striking an iceberg and sinking disconnected nan seashore of Newfoundland. More than 1,500 group died successful nan tragedy.

Gracie came from a salient lineage. His begetter was a Confederate serviceman successful nan Civil War, and his great-grandfather built Gracie Mansion, now nan charismatic residence of nan politician of New York City.