Titanic life jacket sells for $70k

An unused life jacket from the doomed transatlantic cruise ship "Titanic," which struck an iceberg in 1912 and sank, fetched 68,500 dollars at auction at Christie's in New York late Wednesday.

The cork-filled life preserver - still largely intact, but stained and torn in parts - was thought to have been found by farmer John James Dunbar on the Halifax shoreline after the passenger ship sank off Newfoundland in April, 1912.

The liner sank during its maiden voyage from the British port of Southampton to New York when it hit an iceberg, causing some 1,500 people to die. About 700 people are believed to have survived the sinking, one of the worst maritime disasters ever.

There is still huge public interest in Titanic memorabilia as the sinking of the ship, which had been billed as unsinkable, caused such a loss of life and was one of the first world-wide news events

Maritime specialist Gregg Dietrich said the jacket - believed to be one of six remaining - appeared to have been unused because the shoulder straps were still intact. Titanic passengers tended to have had their life preservers cut off to ease removal from their damaged skin.

Mr Dietrich said that the cork filling the jackets was so heavy that many of the survivors and victims of Titanic were found to have broken their jaws on them when they hit the water after jumping from the ship.

Source : reuters

Luxury watch : Romain Jerome Titanic DNA Limited Edition

If you really loved that Titanic movie then you’d probably also be interested in owning a piece of the infamous luxury liner.
Romain Jerome, a Swiss watchmaker has created a new timepiece called the Titanic DNA which uses parts of the actual ship in its construction. The watchface has a black dial thanks to a lacquer paint made with coal recovered from the wreck and the housing will be composed of precious metals like platinum in addition to steel procured from what’s left of the ship.

The Titanic DNA will also be limited to a run of 2,012 pieces which is significant since the year 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship.

Via ohgizmo

RMS Titanic Scale Model is framed for $2,500,000

RMS Titanic Scale Model is one of its kind as till date a authentic scale model of the Titanic had never been built.
However Fine Art Models, the world’s premier scale model makers managed to seek the permission to build a definitive 1:48 scale model of the Titanic as a limited edition ($2,500,000). At 18 feet, she looks stunning sporting an all brass look.

Weighing 1,500 pounds, the hull is of fiberglass while the deck and its furniture is made from real wood. The telegraph in the Bridge is internally lit and the lighting is so complex that it required the installation of more than 8 miles of fiber optic cable.


Encased in a wooden case with glass on both sides for a crystal clear view, this Titanic model won’t fail to evoke all the memories of this unsinkable luxurious liner.

With Harland & Wolff support, in seven years time, this1:48 scale builder’s model was finally completed in 2002. Since then this miniature yet genuinely replica version of Titanic has toured the United States and abroad via museums and private events.

Via bornrich

Titanic connection: Waltham American Pocket watch Up for Auction

Carl Asplund’s watch has reached the Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers in Devizes, Wiltshire, England and is anticipated to fetch £15,000-£20,000 ($30,000-$39,000). The watch was recovered from the body of Carl Asplund who sinked on the Titanic and is part of the Lillian Asplund compilation of Titanic associated objects that will be auctioned on 19 April. Asplund was just 5 in April 1912, when the Titanic hit an iceberg and submerged on its maiden cruise from England to New York. Amongst the 1500 others who died included her father and three siblings.

Via elitechoice