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Unseen single known color design plan (completed) of Titanic, paint & india ink on ferro‑gallic print, H&W c1909.

Outline drawing on linen cloth was, using light, copied onto sensitized paper. L+R cut 2" by (a) former owner.

Titanic rigging plan 193cm/76" 1:144, diazo/ aniline print, ca19??

Size: 51 x 193 cm (20 x 76 (orig.±80) in) ☆ Scale: 1/12 in = 1 ft  (or 1:144) ☆ Weight: 80 gr (2.8 oz) ☆

HARDLY EVER SEEN !  H&W  PHOTOCHEMICAL COPY OF SIDE VIEW PLAN !

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I WITNESSED A H&W TITANIC RIGGING PLAN 'CONTACT' COPY !  IT IS JUST THAT RARE !
FROM THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL V. RALPH, CO-FOUNDER OF TITANIC INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY (TIS) !

Known are the harsh "xerox" electrostatic black toner photocopies of 1980s-1990s produced by Harland & Wolff upon ordering by collectors, researchers, modelmakers, etc. This one in my collection however is a H&W "contact" copy, a photo-chemical reproductive style that has become obsolete gradually over time. A chemically sensitized paper was laid under the original linen cloth drawing plan and this was then exposed to a strong UV light source (my copy also having had an intermediate cloth, possibly for protecting the original drawing cloth against the paper's sensitizing chemicals; see detail image nr 4). Then the paper was developed/fixated with ammonia gas (diazo print, a "dry" process) or an acidic bath (aniline print, a "wet" process). This presumably either diazo print or aniline print displays smooth close-up detail and nuance, and even also the weave pattern of both fabrics. After WW2, but before their "xerox" blackline copies, H&W occasionally would produce "contact" copies off (in any case) a much used folded original 1910/1911 "contact" copy from their archive, having 1 horizontal and 7 vertical fold creases. Unknown is if the later "xerox" copies were derived from the original linen cloth drawing plan and/or from a copy of that.

This rigging plan in my collection is a rarely seen H&W "chemical" copy, with age yet unknown. Also because of the imagery having discolored into a violet color, I suspect that this copy may date from 1910-1911, however, as well possible may be 1960s-1980s (although for that time-period the imagery will typically be dark blue or "black"). So, this needs further research. The plan came from the estate of the Florida based Michael V. Ralph (1943‑2017?): a maritime paintings artist, and co-founder of the Titanic International Society. (Yet no word about him on the TIS website, not even after his passing. No less than ca.275 words by the TIS president on his own resume, and (proudly) presenting himself as TIS co-founder, but omitting, disregarding Michael V. Ralph as co-founder, and meanwhile TIS writes on its own Facebook page (13 Apr 2020): "The late Michael V. Ralph, co-founder and much-beloved trustee of TIS, painted a series, 'Titanic - A Voyage in Art' [...]".)  Also, in the 1980s, Mike's artwork would often illustrate the "Titanic Commutator" magazine covers of Titanic Historical Society (THS). Michael Ralph was a lifelong friend of Walter Lord: author of the bestseller historical book "A Night to Remember" (1955), that also was released as a Titanic movie with the same title a few years later (1958). ... more

[ Still to be added here, 1200dpi hi-res full scan ca 91000 x 24000. A hell of a job. 20 scans, to be fit together.]

A pre-sinking Britannic postcard was trimmed round, laid under a glass dome, surrounded by shells/seaweed.

HMHS Britannic: pre-sinking shellwork framed picture, ca.1914

Width: 15.0 cm (5.9 in) ☆ Thick: ± 3.5 cm (± 1.4 in) ☆ Weight: 220 gr (7.75 oz) ☆

NOT SEEN ANOTHER !  PREDATES MAIDEN VOYAGE AS WW1 HOSPITAL SHIP !

TITANIC'S YOUNGER SISTER ALSO SUNK EARLY IN CAREER, OFF THE GREEK COAST BY A GERMAN MINE !
BRITANNIC NEVER SET SAIL FOR NEW YORK, HENCE INSTANTLY REQUISITIONED FOR WW1 EFFORT !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Unidentified office, USA, "3:20pm". Wall also shows group photo & pennant from Goodyear tire manufacturer.

RMS Olympic: "46,359 tons" poster (1913) in office, real photo

Size: 8.6 x 13.1 cm (3.4 x 5.2 in) ☆

UNSEEN PHOTO WITH UNKNOWN VERSION OF NEARLY NONEXISTENT ADVERT !

TITANIC'S ELDER SISTER, NICKNAME "OLD RELIABLE", HAD A 24‑YEAR CAREER TILL 1935, THEN SCRAPPED !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Ocean navigation aid: monthly update from ships' logs on wind, wave, weather, ice, fog, current, pressure, etc.

Pilot Chart Of The North Atlantic Ocean 'May 1912' (publ 29 Apr)

Size: 61.7 x 86.3 cm (24.3 x 34.0 in) ☆

STELLARLY RARE !  MONTHLY AID TO SEA NAVIGATION !  'TITANIC' REVISIONS !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Assembled on a slab of wood, not larger than book novel size: velvet; celluloid; alumin(i)um; small metal nails.

Titanic small intricate memento plaque for wall hanging, c1912

Size: 21.0 x 14.0 x 0.5 cm (8.25 x 5.5 x 0.2 in) ☆ Weight: ± 95 gr (± 3.35 oz) ☆

UNIQUE GREAT QUALITY COMMEMORATIVE !  EXPERIENCED HOBBYIST FEAT !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

The distressed condition of this 14-page original from 1912 somehow highlights the epic historic catastrophe.

Boston-American newspaper of 16 April 1912; day after sinking

Size: 54.3 x 42.0 cm (21 3/8 x 16.5 in) ☆

STUNNINGLY SCARCE !  ONE OF THE MOST POIGNANT TITANIC FRONTPAGES !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

According to but 2 known sources this steel device served for prying open the moorings of Titanic's lifeboats.

±38cm/15" lifeboat davit mooring ropeitool (3x) marked TITANIC

Length avg: 38cm (15") ☆ Width avg: 3.3cm (1.30") ☆ Thick: 0.65cm (0.25") ☆ Weight avg: 535 gr (18.9 oz) ☆

3 OF BUT 5 KNOWN TO STILL EXIST !  NEARLY UNKNOWN NEARLY FORGOTTEN !

Incredible find !  Its significance & overall value can not be overstated !

REALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, DETECT AND/OR ACQUIRE !  MUCH LESS 2, LET ALONE 3 !  UNBELIEVABLE !
THROUGH MY 1ST, SOON ALSO THE 2ND & 3RD CAME TO ME; WITH PURE LUCK, HARD LABOR, MUCH PATIENCE !
I OBTAINED ALL 3 FROM USA:  ARIZONA (BUT COMING FROM OHIO);  NEBRASKA;  OKLAHOMA !
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE-EAST IS MORE LIKELY THAN RUNNING INTO NO LESS THAN 3 OF THESE OBJECTS !
UNBELIEVABLE !  TRULY UNBELIEVABLE !  TRULY UNBELIEVABLY UNBELIEVABLE !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Titanic post-disaster lifeboats contents inventory, typewriter docs, late 1912 :
Version 1  (4.6MB hi-res 3-page PDF)
Version 2  (6.7MB hi-res 5-page PDF)

Olympic and Titanic were the answer to Lusitania and Mauretania of the atlantic trade competitor Cunard Line.

20cm/8" coldichisel  from Cunard Line's RMS Mauretania (1906)

Length: 20.5 cm (8.0 in) ☆ Width x Thick midway: 2.5 x 1.9 cm (1.0 x 0.75 in) ☆ Weight: 590 gr (20.8 oz) ☆

UNSEEN !  MAYBE SINGLE 1 EXISTING !  YES, CUNARD, YET WOWING ARTIFACT !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Note position of 3 flags due to wind's direction! Funnels' smoke in 'wrong' direction was probably added later.

Drawing by Scottish boy (12) made on-site, Southampton 1912

Size: 21.6 x 25.4 cm (8.5 x 11.0 in = US Letter) ☆

UNIQUE !  UNLIKE ANYTHING !  3-10 APR 1912 EYEWITNESS PENCIL DRAWING !

BOY LATER AT 18 WAS KILLED IN COMBAT AT END OF WW1, FAMILY LATER MOVED OVERSEAS C1920-1925 !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Ronis brand 'main switch' key, c1970s-1980s, used and worn, with its brass fob. '23 bl' is short for 'block 23'.

Harland & Wolff: switch key + tag of Goliath gantry crane (1969)

Length key: 4.1 cm (1.6 in) ☆ Length tag: 6.4 cm (2.5 in) ☆

INCREDIBLE FIND !  UNIQUE HISTORICAL ARTIFACT OF TITANIC SHIPBUILDER !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Label on top iceberg reads in uppercase "W.S. Liddle" (the maker?!). A toddler used the photo for scribbling?!

Apple Show, Sebastopol (Calif.): sinking of Titanic, RPPC 1912

Size: 8.8 x 13.7 cm (3.4 x 5.4 in) ☆

UNSEEN APPLE PC !  MESMERIZING RECORD OF 'TITANIC' IN EVERYDAY LIFE !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

" 'Help Surpasseth Pity' - Balham and Tooting Titanic Relief Fund". (Thinking poor condition? See the reverse!)

Balham and Tooting alumin(i)um medal to Relief Fund workers

Diameter: 4.5 cm (1.75 in) ☆ Thick: 0.4 cm (1/6 in) ☆

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND !  VERY DISTRESSED, POSSIBLE DIRTROAD FIND !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Attic find, 2017 (Kingston, PA, USA). Ca. 5 were known to exist; yet effectively 7 are traceable. This find is nr 8.

Titanic small poster advert: 3rd Class rates & return maiden trip

Size: 52.4 x 23.4 cm (20.6 x 9.2 in) ☆

JAWDROPPING !  UTTERLY RARE ADVERT FOR NEVER-TO-BE RETURN VOYAGE !

Incredible find !  Its significance & overall value can not be overstated !

11 Nov 2011 an identical one sold at Swann Auction Galleries for the then record sum $ 72,000 incl tax/premium
20 Oct 2018  an identical other went at Henry Aldridge & Son for the new record price $ 81,000 incl tax/premium

Aldridge & Son to Irish Mirror, 17 Oct 2018 :
"[...] only a handful of these posters exist. You can count them on one hand."
(A professional auctioneer would never declare "only a handful exist" but "only a handful are known to exist"!)
"The Victoria & Albert Museum have one for its Speed & Style exhibition but this one is in better condition."
Aldridge & Son at live auction, 20 Oct 2018 : "There is 4 of these known to exist."
False statements! 7 are traceable (not counting my nr 8) and the one at V&A was in a very good condition (see the above image nr 5) !

JustCollecting News, 10 Oct 2018,
"Titanic return journey poster could set new auction record" :
news.justcollecting.com/...  (new window)

BBC News, 20 Oct 2018,
"Rare Titanic poster sold for £ 62,000 [ $ 81,000 ] at auction" :
bbc.com/news/...  (new window)

VERY REGRETTABLY THE LYING DERANGED USA SELLER DITCHED THE POSTER'S c1912 CUSTOM MADE FRAME AT AN UNKNOWN POINT IN TIME DESPITE HIS PROMISE TO ADDITIONALLY SEND IT AT MY POSTAGE EXPENSE :

5 Oct 2018 03:01 "I have no problem shipping you the frame as long as you pay for the shipment but you already stated you would."  9 Oct 2018 01:37 "It's 735 pm here in Pennsylvania. I'll be shipping tomorrow about 11am."  THEN AFTER 18 DAYS OF NO RESPONSE:  27 Oct 2018 09:17 "Enjoying my spam folder? 🤔😂 "  THEN AFTER 24 MORE DAYS OF AGAIN NO RESPONSE:  20 Nov 2018 19:05 "I tossed that frame in the fireplace."  THEN 6 HOURS LATER UPON OFFERING HIM MONEY FOR THE FRAME:  21 Nov 2018 01:17 "I can ship it out still as I'd never burn something or destroy anything. As I'm sure you knew that too. [ HE IS TAKING A TURN ONLY FOR THE MONEY ]."  24 Nov 2018 12:10 "I can ship it out Wednesday morning is that's ok."  26 Nov 2018 12:39 "I would be able to ship it today but like I said i don't have the money to cover shipping until Wednesday."  26 Nov 2018 15:01 "If you could send $15 to this account [ PAYPAL OF HIS WIFE ] via 'friends and family' I would be able to access it and use it today to ship it with. [ HIS OWN PAYPAL ACCOUNT WAS SUSPENDED DUE TO HIS CONTINUALLY NEGLECTING HIS MANY BUYERS OF MAINLY SECOND HAND KIDS DVDS ]."  27 Nov 2018 02:21 "I'll be able to get to the post office tomorrow around 4pm."  THEN AFTER 22 DAYS OF AGAIN NO RESPONSE: 19 Dec 2018 11:52 "That frame is LONG GONE. [ HE MEANS: LONG DISCARDED ]."  SUCH  A  M***N  AND  R****D  IN ALL REGARDS !  BUT IF HE ONLY KNEW HE SOLD ME AN INCREDIBLY SCARCE PRICELESS ORIGINAL ICONIC POSTER AND FOR ALMOST NO MONEY !  "🤔😂 "

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

After visiting Europe in 1911, USS Petrel (PG-2) returned to the Atlantic coast for a period spanning 1911-1912.

Titanic life ring  found & marked by USS Petrel, real photo 1912

Size: 8.5 x 13.3 cm (3.35 x 5.25 in) ☆

UNSEEN PRIVATE SNAPSHOT !  AMAZING HISTORICAL EXTRAORDINARINESS !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

A black printed picture was hand colored. Originally a blue (?) ribbon was woven through the square spaces.

Titanic iconic milk glass ribbon plate (4x), pre‑sinking souvenir

Diam.: 18.8 cm (7.4 in) ☆ Height: 2.3 cm (0.9 in) ☆ Weight: ± 285 gr (± 10 oz) ☆

4 OF NOW 9 KNOWN !  SOLD IN BARBER SHOP ABOARD TITANIC & OLYMPIC !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

121 victims were buried here May-Jun 1912. The grave stones were erected in Fall 1912 (likely date of photo).

Titanic graves: Fairview cemetery, Halifax (Canada), RPPC 1912

Size: 8.5 x 13.5 cm (3.3 x 5.3 in) ☆

NOT YET SEEN ANOTHER !  1912 PHOTO DOCUMENT, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

In the gantry: Titanic & Olympic keel laid (also see 3rd image). Card with embossing, lacquer, gold ink/paint.

Arrol Gantry postcard: Titanic's keel laid just, April or May 1909

Size: 8.9 x 13.9 cm (3.5 x 5.5 in) ☆

STUPENDOUSLY RARE PC !  TITANIC INFANCY 36 MONTHS BEFORE DISASTER !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

CS Minia arrived at wrecksite 11 days since the disaster; then for 7 days she recovered bodies & much debris.

29cm/11.4" piece of Titanic, salvaged 1912 stuck to a deckchair

Length: 29 cm (11.4 in) ☆ Width max: 3.8 cm (1.5 in) ☆ Thick max: 0.4 cm (0.15 in) ☆ Weight: 270 gr (9.5 oz) ☆

A+ ARTIFACT !  BENT RIPPED WARPED CORRODED !  STILL WITH BLACK PAINT !

STEEL (CARBONIZED IRON) CORRODES IN SALTWATER 5 TIMES FASTER THAN IN FRESHWATER, AND CORRODES IN SALTY HUMID OCEAN AIR 10 TIMES FASTER THAN IN THE AVERAGE INLAND AIR.
OCEAN WATER BACTERIA ALSO CONSUME IRON, AND THEIR EXCRETIONS TURN TO RUST.
STEEL IN SALTWATER IS ATTACKED FROM ALL ANGLES, IN A COMPLEX OF (ELECTRO)CHEMICAL PROCESSES WITH  IONS, OXYGEN, HYDROGEN, SULFATES, BACTERIA.

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

"Valentine's Series" postcard: issued very shortly after the sinking, and in large quantities. (Great picture!)

Disaster postcard (2x) with earliest date stamp seen: 18(!) April

Size: 8.9 x 13.8 cm (3.5 x 5.4 in) ☆

SUPER RARE !  POST-SINKING PRINTED PC WITH POSTMARK 3(!) DAYS 'AFTER' !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

'Paramount' printing style for Titanic name, White Star Line flag, and Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. emblem.

Titanic stationery: fragment of a 'blank' First Class menu card

Size: 4.7 x 6.5 cm (1.85 x 2.55 in) ☆

WOW !  LIKELY FROM SHIP PRE-TRIP !  OUT A CRESTS & MONOGRAMS ALBUM !

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Paint + India ink on ferro-gallic print: a graphite pencil outline was, using light, copied onto sensitized paper.

Titanic color design drawing (completed), Harland & Wolff c1909

Size: 33.0 x 82.0 cm (13.0 x 32.25 in) ☆ Scale: 1/32 in = 1 ft  (or 1:384) ☆

UNSEEN !  PERPLEXING !  ONLY KNOWN H&W COLOR DESIGN PLAN OF TITANIC !

Incredible find !  Its significance & overall value can not be overstated !

EPIC FAIL by 4 of the foremost experts (authors) on Titanic build/history :
"Much like the work of a child (*) [...] worthless [...] of very little to no interest to a serious collector"
"Stay away from this. it is not a good buy"
"I'm not really sure what I can offer you in the way of a comment"
"This is a fake [ or wordings to that effect ]"
(In order to protect their identity and respect their reputation, the names of the 4 experts (authors) have been omitted.)
(*) The colorized area of bow & stern is only 1/4 respectively 1/3 the size of a credit card ! ; the work of an expert !

This item came from the Ken(neth) Schultz Collection. As such, it may have been featured in his 1970s-2000s catalogues. Please contact me if you know more!

[ Article text still to come.] ☆

Large image (15000 x 6075):  Front (5.5MB)
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Extra large image (30000 x 12150):  Front (25MB)
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Bow detail image (12150 x 7500):  Detail (6.3MB)
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Back side image (4420 x 1800):  Back (0.6MB)
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