Mystery and History Collide: Titanic Passenger’s Chilling First-Day Letter Fetches Unbelievable $399,000 at Auction
His letter, written four days before the Titanic struck the iceberg that spelled its doom, is a rare artifact from one of the vessel’s most well-known survivors. Now, it has sold at auction for a record-breaking $399,000.
Archibald Gracie’s Letter Written Aboard The Titanic
Public DomainArchibald Gracie belonged to New York’s wealthy Gracie family, and he was one of the most high-profile Titanic survivors.
According to Henry Aldridge & Son, the auction house behind the sale, Archibald Gracie wrote his letter on April 10, 1912, the day he boarded the RMS Titanic in Southampton, England. A member of the wealthy Gracie family of New York, Gracie was assigned first-class cabin C51. But though the Titanic was already famous for its size and amenities, including a particularly grand gym, Gracie seemed less than impressed in a letter he wrote that day.
Writing to an acquaintance, a European ambassador from Alabama whose great-nephew has now sold the letter, Gracie expressed some indifference about the Titanic’s reputation, and spoke fondly instead of a different ship, the Oceanic.
“It is a fine ship but I shall await my journeys end before I pass judgment on her,” Gracie wrote. “The Oceanic is like an old friend and while she does not possess the elaborate style and varied amusement of this big ship, still her sea worthy qualities and yacht like appearance make me miss her. It was very kind of you to give me this kindly send off, with best wishes for your success and happiness Archibald Gracie.”
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