William Parker, the carpenter onboard the recovery vessel C.S. Minia, was known to craft many items out of recovered Titanic wreckage, especially gaming items such as cribbage boards, chess boards, and game pieces. While it is unknown for certain whether William Parker crafted this very spinner, it is consistent with the sort of items attributed to him, and his level of craftsmanship.

The hand carved bone pointer is affixed to the wreckwood base by a screw, and can be easily spun around the dial with a flick of the finger.]]> Ex-Titanic Concepts, Inc. / Steve Santini collection.]]>
The box is composed of various types of wood recovered from the wreck site, including mahogany, oak, and English walnut, materials once part of Titanic’s luxurious interior. The hinged lid features an inset mirror, transforming the piece into a functional and elegant personal item. The attention to detail in the construction suggests it was created with care and reverence as a way to preserve and repurpose materials from the ill-fated liner.

Similar in craftsmanship to Parker’s other known cribbage boards and chess boards, this vanity box is one of a select number of Titanic wreck wood artifacts known to exist. Items such as this offer a rare, tangible connection to Titanic, serving as both a historical relic and an example of how salvaged materials were repurposed in the wake of the disaster.]]>
Constructed from several types of wreck wood, including mahogany, oak, and English walnut, each material represents the different parts of the Titanic that were recovered. The board’s striking design features elaborate inlaid patterns, finely worked holes for pegs, and a pull-out drawer lined with rich purple felt - likely chosen to convey a sense of dignity and reverence for the materials’ origins. The choice of woods and the craftsmanship involved showcase Parker’s skill, while also honoring the ship and those who perished.

This cribbage board is one of a famous pair, the other of which has been exhibited at prominent institutions such as the Ronald Reagan National Library and National Geographic, as well as being featured in numerous publications. The pair represents a unique connection to the Titanic's story through objects that were crafted directly from the remnants of the disaster.

With its imposing size, exquisite craftsmanship, and historical significance, this cribbage board is not just a game piece but a physical manifestation of one of the most harrowing events in maritime history. Its connection to the Titanic, through both the materials and the hands that shaped it, makes it a profound item and a striking exhibit.]]>
The Vinolia Otto Toilet Soap company was one such supplier, with their soaps and bath powders selected for use in Titanic's first class areas; a fact they proudly announced in a full-page advertisement in The London Illustrated News in early April 1912.

Roughly one week later Titanic sank and the advertisement was pulled from circulation after only a single printing. Today it is very rare to find an original copy, and those that do exist are highly sought after by both Titanic and advertising collectors.]]> Vinolia Otto Toilet Soap Co.]]>
In contrast to the extravagant launching and naming ceremonies of the time, the White Star Line traditionally launched their ships with very little fanfare. There was no breaking of champagne, no orchestra, and no fancy speeches. The launching of Titanic was no different - marked only by the firing of three rockets into the air to warn oncoming watercraft. At 12:15pm the hydraulic rams were activated and Titanic began her slide backwards into the water, meeting it only a few short seconds later. ]]>
It is absolutely jam packed with technical information, photographs, and deck plans detailing every facet of the construction of the two behemoth liners.

My favorite part is all the vendor advertisements proudly exclaiming the use/installation of their products onboard Titanic; including a particularly striking one for the Welin Davit company whose product would soon play an important role in Titanic's tragic story.]]> Newcastle-on-Tyne & London
United Kingdom]]>
Immediately after the sinking of the Titanic, the White Star Line chartered several vessels and tasked them with the grim job of recovering the dead. One such ship was the Commercial Cable Co. cable ship Mackay-Bennett, who in addition to locating and recovering 310 of Titanic's unfortunate victims, also returned to port with several pieces of her wreckage including at least fourteen deck chairs found floating at the scene.

At the British inquest, Titanic's Chief Baker Charles Joughin claimed to have thrown at least 50 deck chairs into the water to act as flotation devices, and undoubtedly many more must have been strewn about as the Titanic slipped beneath the waves. Clifford Crease, a crewman aboard the Mackay-Bennett, recorded in his personal diary on April 20th, 1912, that he observed "...lots of wreckage floating about...". A later diary entry by crewman Frederick Hamilton, made on April 21st, 1912, stated that “The ocean is strewn with a litter of woodwork, chairs, and bodies.” The official logbook of the Mackay-Bennett references the recovery of multiple deck chairs over a period of several days, as well as their repair by the ship’s carpenter upon returning to Halifax.

This chair bears the scars of damage suffered that fateful night, as well as evidence of cable ship repairs performed in order to make it usable once more; likely ending up in a crewman's garden or patio as a poignant reminder of a job out of the ordinary.

Absent the star logo on the headboard, this chair represents one out of a small run of chairs manufactured specifically for Titanic by R. Holman & Co., of Boston. The missing star is thought attributable to the fact that the boutique American manufacturer was not provided with the specialized jig used to incise the headboard, as their contract with the White Star Line was an emergency one-off order executed to quickly fill a shortfall of stock. In a now famous photograph taken of passengers strolling Titanic's boat deck shortly after her arrival at Queenstown, an R. Holman & Co. deck chair, sans star, can be clearly made out amongst several stacked deck chairs.

Meticulously researched and documented, and with the backing of the world's leading Titanic artifact expert, this chair is without a doubt the signature piece of the Titanic Relics collection.]]> Boston, Massachusetts
United States]]> Ex-private U.S. collection.
Ex-Titanic Concepts, Inc. / Steve Santini collection.]]>
There were roughly six variations of this tin produced, all with the same image but with different information printed on the inside lid. There were versions produced advertising Olympic's maiden voyage, Olympic in service, Olympic & Britannic, Britannic's proposed maiden voyage, but this version advertising Olympic and Titanic's maiden voyage is the rarest of the bunch.

Produced in early 1912, most of these tins were recalled from shops after the sinking and the Titanic reference was blacked out with decorative scrollwork. This unredacted version represents one of the rarest examples of pre-sinking Titanic advertising memorabilia.]]>
Post-sinking memorial reverse glass paintings were mass-produced and can still be found relatively easily and inexpensively. Pre-sinking souvenir paintings however are extremely rare, with most of the existing stock going down with the ship.

Whether or not this painting ever made it onboard Titanic or not is unknown. Identical 'Olympic' variants were known to be available for sale onboard in her barbershop during Olympic's maiden voyage.]]>
After the sinking of the Titanic on April 15th, 1912, Smith chaired the United States Senate hearings into the disaster from the conference room of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, beginning the day after the Carpathia arrived carrying her survivors. Senators and spectators heard dramatic testimony from the surviving passengers and crew. Smith's subcommittee ultimately issued a report on May 28th that led to significant reforms in international maritime safety. Senator Smith achieved some notoriety for being more colorful than knowledgeable, at one point being called "Watertight Smith" in the British press for asking whether watertight compartments, actually meant to keep the ship afloat, were meant to shelter passengers.]]>
Republic was built by the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, and launched in 1903. Dubbed "The Millionaire's Ship", she represented the height of luxury at the time and was the lead ship of White Star's Boston-Liverpool service. She sank in 1909 after colliding with the Lloyd Italiano liner, S.S. Florida in a dense fog off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.]]>
Over the coming days shipyard workers wandered out to the gantry where hull #401 was constructed, and where pieces of scrap still sat. Motivated by a desire to memorialize their loss, some workers used this scrap to create pieces of folk art.

This divot - created during the hydraulic punching of a rivet hole - is one of those pieces. Punched from one of Titanic's hull plates, it was decorated by a shipyard worker with the ship's name, the date of her loss, a star motif, and a series of Irish shamrocks encircling the sides.]]> Mealy's Auctioneers, Belfast, IE
Henry Aldridge & Son, Devizes, UK
Ex-Titanic Concepts, Inc. / Steve Santini Collection]]>
Commissioned by his grieving widow, Ellen Hodges, this pendant served as a lasting tribute and a personal connection to her late husband. She wore it until her own death in 1938. The pendant bears the date of the disaster on the obverse and Henry’s name on the reverse, creating a permanent record of that catastrophic event and her own loss. The design features two heralding angels on either side of the central engraving, evoking the style of Titanic’s Grand Staircase carving, Honor and Glory Crowning Time.

With its understated craftsmanship and symbolic details, this pendant is a significant piece of Titanic memorabilia, encapsulating both the personal grief experienced by families and the broader impact of the tragedy on those left behind.]]>
This piece comes from the home of an elderly woman whose mother attended the White Star Line auction in 1912. In her provenance letter she tells of watching the towering hull of Titanic take shape near her home, and how her entire family was invited to attend the launch by the Lord Mayor of Belfast.]]>
This small piece of green carpeting is a cutting from the original music stool piece.]]>
James and Mabel Fenwick were newlyweds beginning a three month honeymoon trip to Europe aboard the RMS Carpathia. They departed New York on April 11, 1912, not knowing that a mere four days later the Carpathia would come to save over 700 survivors from the most famous shipping disaster of all time. Early on the morning of April 15, Mabel Fenwick was woken up by a man’s voice crying, “Titanic’s gone down!” Mabel rushed on deck with her camera and began taking photographs, many of which still exist today in some of the world's best collections.

Also included in the collection is a selection of dressing items, as well as James Fenwick's pinky ring, a gift from is new bride and bearing her family crest. James can be seen wearing the ring in a well-known photograph of the couple standing on Carpathia's deck.]]>
Although this particular piece is not from Titanic, pieces in this pattern represented the bulk of the china wares used onboard and were featured prominently in first class dining areas.

Notably this piece is missing the "Stonier & Co. Liverpool" distributor mark and registration numbers commonly found imprinted on the bottom of "Wisteria" pieces. This suggests that this set was a production sample, and may have never made it onboard a White Star Line ship.]]>
This large section of woven cane was cut from the seat of a badly damaged deckchair that was recovered from the scene of the sinking by the Western Union cable steamer CS Minia.]]> Overview and Manufacturing:
Recovered from the body of Colonel John Jacob Astor IV following the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, this 18k gold telescopic writing instrument represents one of the few verified personal effects of the ship’s most prominent passenger. The artifact was manufactured by the prestigious London firm Walter Thornhill and Co., located at 144 New Bond Street. As a holder of several Royal Warrants, Thornhill was renowned for producing high-end campaign furniture and precision traveling accessories for the British and American elite. This specific telescopic design reflects the utility-driven luxury favored by the Colonel, a man of global commerce who required portable, high-quality tools for his professional and personal correspondence.

Alignment with the 1912 Recovery Records:
The historical significance of this artifact is rooted in its precise alignment with primary recovery documentation. Following the disaster, the CS Mackay-Bennett was tasked with the recovery of victims, and Body No. 124 was identified as John Jacob Astor IV. The official recovery inventory, maintained by the Mackay-Bennett staff and subsequently recorded by the provincial authorities in Nova Scotia, specifically lists a "gold pencil" among the personal effects found on the Colonel’s person.

Unlike items that frequently appear on the market with general family or estate associations, this Thornhill pencil corresponds directly to the physical descriptions and material specifications found in the 1912 logs. It was recovered from the North Atlantic alongside other documented items such as his gold watch and a diamond ring. The presence of this specific instrument in the official recovery logs establishes it as a witness artifact - an object physically present during the final moments of the tragedy and recovered directly from the site.

The Primary Chain of Custody (1912 to 2013):
The provenance of this artifact follows the primary historical line of the Astor family, ensuring an unbroken and documented chain of custody. Following the recovery of Body 124, the Colonel’s personal effects were returned to his family. This instrument passed to his eldest son and primary heir, Vincent Astor. The pencil’s status as a recovery item is corroborated by its presence in this primary family line, representing a direct link to his father’s legacy that remained separate from secondary estate holdings or later sentimental gifting traditions.

Upon the death of Vincent Astor in 1959, the instrument remained in the care of his widow, Brooke Astor. It was maintained within the private core of the Brooke Astor archive for over five decades. This lineage is critical, as it places the artifact within the specific branch of the family responsible for the stewardship of the Colonel’s most personal effects. The instrument remained in this secure, private environment until the final liquidation of the estate’s historical assets in 2013. By remaining within this specific primary line, the pencil avoided the fragmentation and lack of documentation often associated with secondary branches or individuals not biologically or legally connected to the direct recovery lineage.

Research, Vetting, and Descendant Recognition:
The historical integrity of this artifact has been established through a rigorous vetting process that meets the highest academic standards. The chain of custody and the associated archival evidence have been formally reviewed by a Professor Emeritus of Historic Preservation, ensuring that the documentation aligns with professional standards of forensic history. This academic review confirms the instrument’s unbroken path from the recovery of Body 124 through its eventual transition from the primary estate.

Furthermore, the artifact’s provenance and its status as a verified recovery item have been personally reviewed and recognized by direct biological descendants of Colonel John Jacob Astor IV. This recognition from the Colonel’s direct lineage provides a definitive seal of authenticity that distinguishes this piece within the field of maritime history. In a marketplace where provenance is often based on inference or contested claims, the validation from direct biological heirs serves as a corrective to historical drift, confirming that the artifact’s history is consistent with the family’s own internal understanding of the recovery record.

Chronological Integrity and Social Context:
Historical accuracy requires that an artifact’s physical evidence matches the biographical reality of its owner. This Thornhill pencil adheres to the strict chronological requirements of the Gilded Age and the specific timeline of the Astor family. Unlike items bearing engravings or dates that conflict with documented meeting dates or social structures of the period, this instrument aligns perfectly with the Colonel’s documented life in 1912.

As a man of significant wealth and professional standing, Astor utilized high-quality, unadorned tools for his daily affairs. This pencil is a reflection of that professional reality - a functional object intended for use by a man who managed a vast international empire. Its lack of anachronistic inscriptions or historically inconsistent dates ensures that its provenance remains grounded in forensic fact. This artifact serves as a benchmark for recovery claims, requiring that any item attributed to the Titanic disaster must first reconcile with the basic biographical math and social history of the individuals involved.

Scholarly Standards of the Archive:
This artifact is maintained as part of a research-driven archive dedicated to the preservation of the Titanic’s historical record. The standards for this archive require that every claim of recovery be supported by primary-source documentation, forensic alignment with recovery inventories, and a clear, documented chain of custody.

Full documentation, including primary estate records and verified correspondence, is maintained as part of the permanent archive which provides the necessary evidentiary foundation to support its status as a verified witness to the events of April 15, 1912. The Thornhill pencil stands as a somber and tangible link to that history, verified by the official recovery logs, preserved by the primary estate, and recognized by the direct biological heirs of the Astor legacy.

]]> Vincent Astor
Brooke Astor]]> previous piece, as well as a production date of July 1904.]]>
This large partial Minton's saucer and baseball-size chunk of coal were salvaged during an assessment and exploration of Carpathia's wreckage on September 1st, 2007 by diver Carl Spencer and expedition leader Paul Henry Nargeolet.]]>
The first photograph features Carpathia’s Captain, Arthur H. Rostron, seated on the boat deck alongside a companion identified as "Montie." As the man responsible for Carpathia’s daring night-time dash through ice-laden waters, Rostron played a crucial role in ensuring the survival of the 705 passengers rescued from Titanic. Images of him are scarce, and photographs of him aboard Carpathia, a vessel he commanded for only twelve months, are even rarer—making this an extraordinary and historically significant image.

The second photograph presents an even more striking scene: Titanic's third-class survivors huddled together on Carpathia’s aft engine room ventilator hatch, a typically restricted area now serving as an impromptu warming area and refuge. The toll of the disaster is unmistakable—one woman is seen wiping tears from her eyes, wet clothing hangs over the railings, and passengers cling to White Star Line tartan blankets interspersed with Cunard’s darker blue ones. Most notably, the faint outline of a Titanic lifebelt, repurposed as a pillow, is visible. This very section of Carpathia was later photographed upon her arrival in New York, revealing a stacked collection of Titanic lifebelts left behind by the rescued.

Together, these images offer a rare and deeply human perspective on the aftermath of Titanic's sinking, providing invaluable documentation of the rescue, the survivors, and the man who led the mission to save them.]]>
These represent some of the only known original candid photographs of Titanic's Captain, E.J. Smith in existence today. These photographs were taken in 1911 on board the White Star Line's S.S. Adriatic, shortly before Smith transferred to command the newly launched Olympic. These extraordinary pictures capture not only an odd voyage in which Adriatic sailed through a mid-ocean snow storm, but also show Captain Smith in the last year of his life - all smiles and with no idea that he would soon become one of the twentieth century's most recognized and tragic figures.]]>