Interesting and Unique Artifacts

One of the recovered artifacts is a collection of sample perfumes from Adolphe Saalfeld, a perfume maker from England who survived the sinking. He carried with him on the voyage 65 vials of perfume of which 62 have been recovered. They were found on the sea floor in 2000 and plans were made to reproduce the perfumes.

This deck chair (with the original varnish) was auctioned for $77,000. The chair wasn't on the Titanic during its fatal moments. It was given as a souvenir shortly before the Titanic's departure, to a photographer caller Thomas Barker. Mr. Barker initially used it in his garden, but due to the fatal events, he didn't wish to keep it and gave the chair to his housekeeper.

The deck chair, worth $77,000

Salvaging the Titanic

Salvaging the Titanic is a history in the making. The salvage efforts are chronicled though films, video, artistic renditions, and oral recordings of the ship wreck. The personnel is guarded and require extensive background checks and security to work the sites.

 The first Titanic artifacts recovered from the arctic waters were sent to France in 1987. That special facility was designed to conserve the artifacts for history. The site is both a conservatory and a research laboratory. Special techniques have been perfected to restore and seal any recovered items. There it goes through the process of restoration and preservation.

 Once the artifacts leave the French facility they are bound to Atlanta (Georgia), the headquarters of the RMA. In Atlanta they are organized for posterity in a laboratory. Rescue efforts have reclaimed stairwells, furniture, safes and luggage, many pieces of equipment, kitchen pots, pans and dramatic chandeliers. There are some lovely pieces of jewelry recovered from the Titanic as well.

A piece of cane from a damaged seat, recovered
from floating wreckage of the Titanic

Several name boards from the lifeboats have been recovered, treated, and placed for sale. Life jackets, seat supports and flags from the lifeboats have been collected and displayed in several traveling displays as well as in the museums.

Nameplate of a lifeboat of the Titanic

The Artifacts were found in the sank Titanic

A pair of shoes found near the stern of the Titanic in 2004

Pairs of shoes, jewelry, reading glasses and many other artifacts that were found in and around the Titanic wreck are reminders of the tragedy that took place in 1912. These Titanic artifacts are highly sought after, that's why steps were taken to protect the ship wreck.

                                     

RMS is the only company granted the rights to recover artifacts and other treasures linked to the Titanic. In 1994, the United States Federal Courts granted them savor-in-possession rights. This allows them to conduct research and recovery expeditions seeking Titanic artifacts, promoting historic significance, and displaying their findings.

The Titanic was completed in 1911. The commissioned ship built to carry mail between England and United States was unique in that it had all the opulence the first-class passengers expected, yet it carried other cargo to the same destinations.

 The first and second class citizenry traveled on the same vessel, but was totally unaware of the other world traveling with them. Many artifacts from these passengers' luggage have been recovered: expensive clothing, jewels, ornate combs, perfumes, etc. This watch on the right is recovered from the body of a steward called Sidney Sedunary.

The Legends and Myths Regarding Titanic

The first unqualified assertion of Titanic's unsinkable appears in the The New York Times on 16 April 1912, a day after the tragedy. Philip A. S. Franklin, vice president of the International Mercantile Marine Company(White Star Line's holding company) stated after being told of the sinking "I thought her unsinkable, and I based my opinion on the best expert advice available. I do not understand it." This comment was seized upon by the press and the idea that the White Star Line had previously declared Titanic to be unsinkable (without qualification) gained immediate and widespread currency. 

People Claims Titanic Been Cursed When Sank

When Titanic sank, claims were made that a curse existed on the ship. The press quickly linked the "Titanic curse" with the White Star Line practice of not christening their ships (notwithstanding the opening scene of the film A Night to Remember).

One of the most widely spread legends linked directly into the sectarianism of the city of Belfast, where the ship was built. It was suggested that the ship was given the number 390904 which, when reflected, resembles the letters "NOPOPE", a sectarian slogan attacking Roman Catholics, widely used by extreme Protestants in Northern Ireland, where the ship was built. In the extreme sectarianism of the region at the time, the ship's sinking was alleged to be on account of anti-Catholicism by her manufacturers, the Harland and Wolff company, which had an almost exclusively Protestant workforce and an alleged record of hostility towards Catholics. (Harland and Wolff did have a record of hiring few Catholics; whether that was through policy or because the company's shipyard in Belfast's bay was located in almost exclusively Protestant East Belfast—through which few Catholics would travel—or a mixture of both, is a matter of dispute.) In fact, RMS Olympic and Titanic were assigned the yard numbers 400 and 401 respectively.

Unsinkable

Contrary to popular mythology, Titanic was never described as "unsinkable", without qualification, until after she sank. There are three trade publications (one of which was probably never published) that describe Titanic as practically unsinkable, prior to her sinking, but there is no evidence that the notion of Titanic's unsinkable had entered public consciousness until after the sinking. Harland and Wolff did not claim she was actually unsinkable, but a promotional item from the White Star Line stressed the safety of Olympic and Titanic, claiming that "as far as it is possible to do so, these two wonderful vessels are designed to be unsinkable" 

General arrangement of the 16 main compartments of Titanic. The double bottom was 7 feet high and divided into 44 watertight compartments. There were additional 13 small compartments above the tank top, e.g. for the shaft tunnels.

The vessel was designed to comply with Grade 1 subdivision proposed by the 1891 Bulkhead Committee, meaning that it could stay afloat with any two adjoining out of its 16 main compartments open to the sea. The height of the bulkhead deck above the water line in flooded condition was well above the requirements and the vessel indeed would have been able to float with three adjoining compartments flooded in 11 of 14 possible combinations. The subdivisions could be sealed from communication with each other with cast iron watertight doors. To prevent a sailor from being caught in them, a geared system dropped the doors gradually over 25 to 30 seconds by sliding them vertically on hydraulic cataract cylinders .

The Sank of Titanic and the possibility factors that cause Titanic to sank

The Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean, having covered half of her trans-Atlantic crossing. The remains of the Titanic were eventually located approximately 13 miles southeast of the location of her last distress call. This distance contributed to part of the difficulty in locating the Titanic, which was finally discovered in 1985.The location of the Titanic's wreck is somewhere southeast of Newfoundland (Canada).The specific location of The Titanic is located 1000 miles due east of Boston, Massachusetts and 375 miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. The ship is located approximately 3,925 meters below sea. The primary factor involved the ship's collision with a massive iceberg. The ship had been billed as 'unsinkable' due to sixteen compartments that were believed to be watertight. When the ship struck the iceberg, six of those compartments were damaged and the ship began to take on water very rapidly.

The causes of Titanic to sink have been the subject of much study and debate. Obviously, the instigating factor was the collision with the iceberg; however the question of 'how did it sink' is frequently the center of most questions regarding the Titanic. In 1912 the sinking of the Titanic began late on the night of April 14th. Information on the sinking Titanic indicates that the ship approached a massive iceberg, and although efforts were made to steer clear of the large frozen mass, all efforts were to no avail. Sadly, further records of the Titanic accident history indicate that the Titanic disaster may very well have been able to have been completely avoided had officers on ship paid heed to reports received earlier regarding the frozen waters they were approaching.

The Luxury Features Had in Titanic

Passengers on the Titanic enjoyed a multitude of luxuries, many of which were implemented for the first time on an ocean vessel. A heated swimming pool, Turkish bath, squash court, gymnasium and libraries were all present for the enjoyment of the guests aboard the luxury liner. The swimming pool was the first to be included on a ship, today a common feature, and was reserved for first class passengers only. The six feet deep salt water pool cost $1 per person. Each of the 840 staterooms was equipped with electric lighting and heating, certainly a luxury in 1912.

The Titanic manifest even reveals the ship included a Parisian café with wait staff imported from France to add to the delight of the guests. Amateur photographers could try out their skills in the darkroom that had been fitted into the ship. Guests who wanted to communicate with family and friends on land could do so using the Marconi radio. Records reveal that over 250 telegrams were sent and received during the four days of the ship's voyage. The minimum fee for sending a wireless telegram from aboard the Titanic was $3.12. This cost included up to 10 words. Additional words were charged an extra fee. Guests could communicate on board with one another through the use of a 50 line telephone switchboard.

While a number of the luxuries on board the ship were reserved for the elite and famous passengers on the Titanic, several were open for use by all people in the Titanic, regardless of class. First, second and third class passengers could take advantage of the two barber shops; which were built with automatic hair drying appliances. This was certainly a luxury in 1912.

Images of the Titanic's grand staircase have been reproduced numerous times since the sinking of the ship. The massive staircase connected 7 decks aboard the ship and has become a symbol of the luxurious detailed appointed to the Titanic. Famous passengers on the Titanic who enjoyed the ship's luxurious facilities included Benjamin Guggenheim, John Jacob Astor IV, Molly Brown and Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Straus.

The Titanic manifest has revealed that in addition to the numerous luxury accommodations and amenities located throughout the ship, the Titanic also sailed with thousands of interesting objects. Some of the most fascinating include a Renault 35 horsepower automobile, five grand pianos and four cases of opium. When the ship sank to her watery grave, the expensive array of articles went with her, amounting to an untold loss of money.

Titanic's Orchestra and Musicians in Titanic

The ship's eight-member orchestra travelled as second-class passengers, and were not on the payroll of the White Star Line. Until the night of sinking, the orchestra performed as two separate entities: a quintet led by the bandleader, Wallace Hartley, that played at teatime, after-dinner concerts, and Sunday services, among other things; and the violin, cello and piano trio of Roger Bricoux, George Krins and Theodore Brailey, that played at the Á La Carte Restaurant and the Café Parisien.

Name	Age	Hometown	Boarded	Position	Body
Brailey, Mr. W. Theodore Ronald	24	London, England	Southampton	Pianist	–
Bricoux, Mr. Roger Marie	20	Monte Carlo, Monaco	Southampton	Cellist	–
Clarke, Mr. John Frederick Preston	30	Liverpool, Lancashire, England	Southampton	Bassist	202MB
Hartley, Mr. Wallace Henry	33	Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England	Southampton	Bandmaster	224MB
Hume, Mr. John Law "Jock"	21	Dumfries, Scotland	Southampton	Violinist	193MB
Krins, Mr. Georges Alexandré	23	London, England	Southampton	Violist	–
Taylor, Mr. Percy Cornelius	32	London, England	Southampton	Cellist	–
Woodward, Mr. John Wesley	32	Oxford, England	Southampton	Cellist	–

UNCOUNTABLE DEAD IN ONE NIGHT

1517 people lost their life on the Titanic. Among the dead were:

• 130 first-class passengers
• 166 second-class passengers
• 536 third-class passengers
• 685 crew members

The Captain of Titanic

The infamous ship set sail on April 10, 1912 under the command of Captain Edward Smith. Facts about Captain Edward John Smith, his life and his tragic death aboard the ship are often the subject of much debate and study. Many historians feel that the tragedy could have been avoided  it's entirely had Captain Smith acted differently. Others aren't so sure. Certainly a number of other factors contributed to the heavy loss of life, including the lack of life boats.