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Online Display Of Titanic Related Items From Private Collection
Scarce & Special ☆☆☆☆☆
UNSEEN UNUSUAL UNEQUALLED ARTIFACTS & OTHER TREASURES !
TITANIC BOMBSHELL !!!
ONLY HERE ON SSTITANIC.ORG !!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE MOST INCREDIBLE UNKNOWN UNSEEN TITANIC ARTIFACT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN !
TO THIS DAY NOT DOCUMENTED IN ANY BOOK, NOR MUSEUM, NOR COLLECTION !
YET ANOTHER MIND BOGGLING TITANIC RELIC PICK EXCLUSIVELY BY SSTITANIC.ORG !
IT'S THE LIFEBOAT ROPEITOOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!
TITANIC BOMBSHELL !!!
Here no words such as '(Lost)1912', so this divot almost certainly commemorates the launch, not the sinking.
Divot, punch waste from 7/8" steel plate, pre-sinking keepsake
Size top x base x side: 3.7 x 3.1 x 2.1 cm (1.45 x 1.22 x 0.83 in) ☆ Weight: 165 gr (5.8 oz) ☆
VERY RARE LAUNCH MEMENTO ! HARLAND & WOLFF SHIPBUILDING ARTIFACT !
Auctioneer Henry Aldridge: "rivet/divot head" (most recent 16 Nov 2024) ! STILL, STILL, after ALL these years !!
A DIVOT IS A HYDRAULIC PUNCH-OUT FROM A STEEL PLATE, THUS CREATING A HOLE FOR THE LATER RIVET
Most of Titanic's steel hull plates were up to 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick. Plates in areas known to suffer more stress would be 1.25" (3.2 cm) or even 1.5" (3.8 cm). Prior to riveting the plates together – sometimes multi-layered for added strength – holes for the rivets had to be created first. This was done in the Platers Shed at H&W, by hydraulically pressing out a "divot", or also called "(divot) slug", "(divot) punch (out)", "(rivet) punch(ing)", "(riveting) plug", or, as H&W workers would call, "blae"/"blai". Essentially, a divot is a steel plate's leftover, scrap metal. Harland & Wolff shipyard workers would collect a bunch, expectedly at or nearby the Platers Shed, stamp/engrave them to their liking, then sometimes nickel (chrome?) plate them (as this divot), and ultimately sell these folk-art creations off to locals and also visitors of Belfast, Ireland, UK. Apparently this particular divot was punched from 7/8 (0.875) inch plate.
Although there seems no way in confirming, this divot in my collection almost certainly is pre-sinking Titanic: a memento of either the launch, 31 May 1911, which is the most likely, or the completion, 2 April 1912. Interesting about this divot is that its side has not been machine polished, thus retaining the ripped steel structure from the punching, the pressing out. Also the bottom side has not been machine polished (read: flattened) at the time of production, thus retaining its concave shape from the punching, the pressing out. Only the top and the top's contour have been machine polished.
Most experts and collectors do not know what the metal object is. Henry Aldridge & Son, Bonhams, Christie's, Mealy's, NMNI, RR Auction, Titanic Universe, Woolley & Wallis: almost all auctioneers and institutions, even by their maritime specialists, have mispresented and often keep on mispresenting a divot as a "rivet (head)" while not even looking like a rivet (head)! The ignorance among auctioneers as well as general public in regards divots is also evident from several low sales revenues in the past. ... more
The vast majority of 'Titanic' divots expectedly are post-sinking, with stamped or engraved words such as "Lost 1912". Only few divots just solely state the ship's name, either "S.S.Titanic" or "R.M.S.Titanic", and these are to be considered as being issued pre-sinking. Only two divots are known to exist that state "1911", thus pre-sinking, commemorating the launch. Furthermore there is only one divot known to exist that features just imagery (painting), no text, and which is also in my collection (see further down this page): that is a 7/8 inch plate's divot, still with its original wooden display holder, showing a painted picture of Olympic/Titanic. Apart from the known Olympic and Titanic divots, there is said to exist a single known divot "SS Belgenland" (ownership with that ship's name by Red Star Line from 1923 to 1935). Until now, no other divots than for just these 3 ships are known to exist.
Divots, disregard from which ship, appear to be very or maybe I should say extremely rare. Only very occasionally one will be put at auction or otherwise offered for sale. Following the Titanic sinking, an unknown amount of divots must have been engraved, stamped, or painted on, and then sold off to locals. To this day maybe a small number of the surviving divots are still stored away in boxes and drawers etc. and will only be discovered after a future house clearance.
Image nr 5 shows, top-down, 1 Titanic and 2 Olympic divots; the Titanic divot and the Olympic divot on the brass holder (both divots and holders clearly made by the same maker) were coincidentally sold by 2 different owners from UK in 2019. I bought the Titanic divot (on the brass holder) relatively cheaply, I believe for £ 650 (very roughly $ 1,000), but merely with the intend to resell it later online for 5-10 times more than what I had paid (this also in order to finance my future Titanic purchases). Around that time, for already 2 years, I had this close friendship, long-distance, with another Titanic (& Olympic) enthusiast, from W-Europe. The moment that I bought that particular Titanic divot, this friend started to nag me on almost every single occasion, in a child like manner, really quite annoying, about the divot. According to him then, I should resell it to him because he was his friend and I was his friend and he desperately wanted to own such rare special Titanic artifact and add it to his (very modest) collection. His relentless nagging me then proved fruiticious (to him): after maybe 2-3 weeks I was kind, generous, unselfish, sympathetic (and brainwashed and stupid?!) enough in order to "sell" him the divot at the same price that I had paid; but then again this is the typical type of friendly helpful sacrifice that you make for a good friend and to just make him happy. So, given the divot's actual (higher-end) market price, I basically donated him an expensive $ 4,000 - 9,000 gift, because he was my friend and I was his friend, and life is not always about gaining money and keeping objects, so I had no problem making this costly sacrifice, for my friend, because he was a good friend, and, after all, in these past 2-3 weeks, he was so enormously enthusiastic about the Titanic divot on the brass holder. Circa 2 years prior to that transaction, early 2017 I tipped him about an Olympic divot up for sale on eBay, and soon he won the auction (that was the lower divot in image nr 5). Later, July 2019 I tipped him about yet another Olympic divot up for sale on eBay, that is the Olympic divot on the brass holder in the same image nr 5 (the middle divot), and he successfully won also that auction, and so he acquired his 3rd divot. Then a year later, August 2020, this same friend of mine managed to acquire, from a local (postcard) collector, an undocumented Titanic onboard postcard, sent 11 Apr 1912 (from Queenstown in Ireland, to Paris in France) by "Elisabeth" (Walton Allen), a survivor from Titanic's 1st Class. Mind you, every time when I used to buy a ca.1912 paper item, this friend would then tell me that he personally did not care for paper items as a collectible, because to him paper is not really an object, and that he also would never pay big money for any such paper item; but now, how ironic, he bought a paper item, the aforementioned full-color "Queenstown" postcard depicting Olympic & Titanic, and, yet more ironic, even paid for it big money (€ 4,300, roughly $ 4,800). So, because of him "not" appreciating paper items and thus also "not" prepared to pay big money for any such, and also since I had "sold" him the Titanic divot on the brass holder, basically a costly $ 4,000 - 9,000 gift, and also since I had tipped him about 2 Olympic divots being up for sale that he then successfully acquired, and also since he knew I am a dedicated Titanic collector and still lacked (to this very day) a Titanic onboard correspondence in my collection, I was altogether thus confident about him willing to return me a fitting favor, also by way of appreciation, an appropriate thank you, in return make a friendly sacrifice, also because I am (was) his friend and he is (was) my friend, and as such "sell" the postcard to me for the money that he had paid for it. However, he then said he was too much "in love" with the postcard and "maybe" some time in the future could transfer the Queenstown postcard to me, for example if he would "ever" need money for a new Apple laptop computer. He and I had a good friendship. He always referred to me as a friend. After my honest, yet politely confronting and criticizing him about his unacceptable unfriendly behavior, he never came back to me on the matter, never told me he was wrong and I am right, but instead clinged on to the costly postcard, a paper item that he would "never" buy, much less would "never" pay big money for. And that was it. End of story. He also never apologized and did not even try or bother to explain and/or justify himself; but then again there was of course no way whatsoever for him to explain and/or justify himself in order to clear himself from his selfish ungrateful wrongdoing. In the end, this so-called friend proved to be nothing but an unsympathetic disrespectful hypocritical abusive selfish greedy egoist. Additionally, in hindside, with the later context (the postcard, that he was so much "in love" with), I basically also feel robbed from $ 4,000 - 9,000 (the Titanic divot I 'sold' him). This so-called friend was only taking, not giving (in return). Such an abusive egoist. Such a disappointing and frustrating life's experience in every regard. The "friend" that turned out to be all but a friend.
Featured in the next (short) article is my ornately engraved post-sinking Titanic divot from 1.25 inch hull plate. ☆
After the electrical engraving, the steel underwent nickel or chrome plating (which is now lost in many areas).
Divot, punch scrap from 1.25" hull plate, post-disaster souvenir
Size top x base x side: 3.9 x 3.2 x 3.2 cm (1.55 x 1.25 x 1.25 in) ☆ Weight: 240 gr (8.5 oz) ☆
VERY RARE SINKING MEMENTO ! HARLAND & WOLFF SHIPBUILDING ARTIFACT !
Auctioneer Henry Aldridge: "rivet/divot head" (most recent 16 Nov 2024) ! STILL, STILL, after ALL these years !!
A DIVOT IS A HYDRAULIC PUNCH-OUT FROM A STEEL PLATE, THUS CREATING A HOLE FOR THE LATER RIVET
Featured in the previous article is my divot from 7/8 inch steel plate simply inscribed "S.S.Titanic". Now my divot in this article clearly is a post-sinking edition, a memento of the disaster on 14-15 April 1912. It appears to be from 1.25 inch plate, thus more specifically hull plate, and its side is decorated with 3 times a double 3-leafed shamrock (better known as: clover), national symbol of Ireland. The initial slightly concave shaped underside (from the pressing out) has been flattened, polished, and shows a screw thread (original, because also seen on another divot), this possibly being a preparation for a walking stick. So, prior to flattening the base, and creating the screw thread, and polishing the side, and performing the ornate engravings, this divot was originally an estimated (almost) 15% higher in weight: ca. 275 gr (9.6 oz). ☆
This is the only known Olympic/Titanic ("Olympic class" liners) divot without text, just imagery (oil painting).
Olympic/Titanic memento divot, rivet punching from 7/8" plate
Size top x base x side (divot): 3.7 x 3.1 x 2.1 cm (1.45 x 1.22 x 0.83 in) ☆ Weight (divot): 165 gr (5.8 oz) ☆
VERY RARE COMMEMORATIVE ! HARLAND & WOLFF SHIPBUILDING ARTIFACT !
Auctioneer Henry Aldridge: "rivet/divot head" (most recent 16 Nov 2024) ! STILL, STILL, after ALL these years !!
A DIVOT IS A HYDRAULIC PUNCH-OUT FROM A STEEL PLATE, THUS CREATING A HOLE FOR THE LATER RIVET
[ Article text still to come.] ☆
To craft this was utmost labor-intensive. Still, it most probably memorializes Titanic's sinking, not completion.
Divot, punch from 1" steel plate, as salt/trinket box, post-sinking
Size [divot] top x base x side: 3.7 x 3.0 x 2.4 cm (1.45 x 1.18 x 0.95 in) ☆ Weight [object]: 90 gr (3.2 oz) ☆
VERY RARE TITANIC MEMENTO ! HARLAND & WOLFF SHIPBUILDING ARTIFACT !
Auctioneer Henry Aldridge: "rivet/divot head" (most recent 16 Nov 2024) ! STILL, STILL, after ALL these years !!
A DIVOT IS A HYDRAULIC PUNCH-OUT FROM A STEEL PLATE, THUS CREATING A HOLE FOR THE LATER RIVET
[ Article text still to come.] ☆
Studio photographic print on multi-layer card. Edge is skewed. Black oval is raised. Gold text is lowered.
Souvenir Photo, near certain portraying doomed passenger(s)
Size: 18.0 x 13.0 cm (7.1 x 5.1 in) ☆ Thick: 0.1 cm (1/25 in) ☆
RARE AS SNOW IN JULY ! PASSENGER(S) MEMENTO OF MAIDEN TRIP TITANIC !
Incredible find ! Its significance & overall value can not be overstated !
THIS 'SOUVENIR PHOTO' WAS PRODUCED IN SOUTHAMPTON & SAVED BY AN UNKNOWN TITANIC PASSENGER !
$ 500 REWARD FOR ANY INFO LEADING TO IDENTIFICATION OF WOMAN &/OR GIRL
Yet another indescribably scarce and special Titanic related item: a cabinet card photo portrait, undoubtedly pre-sinking. Really, its significance, rarity and (potential) overall value to my belief and conviction are fabulous and can not be overstated. An outright incredible and almost impossible once in a lifetime find. Without question one of my best Titanic finds ever. Oval shaped real photo, most probably gelatin silver print, mounted on heavy card stock. The black border and gold text are embossed. Actually, "White Star Lines" is misspelled (as is seen occasionally); in reality the company's name was not plural. Cabinet cards such as this splendid specimen were not produced on the ship itself, but by entrepreneurs in Southampton, UK. (The cabinet photo portrait card was introduced in 1866 and remained popular until c1914.) With a magnifying glass it is hard to see and to determine, but the pictures in the magazine that both females are looking at certainly appear to be images (photos) of steamships. The card's back, at the top, shows indentations of pencil (graphite), which has "faded" over time. With side lighting, these faint writing remnants unfortunately remain unreadable.
At one time the heavily damaged bottom left corner was repaired with tape (not by me of course), but this had separated, or was removed, and then the broke off corner got lost for good. Over time I have seen several tens of thousands cabinet cards, but any major damage to a corner is exceedingly exceptional; perhaps only one in several thousand cards will show this. Go figure: cabinet cards are thick and also sturdy (still today), and mostly sitting in albums, shoe boxes, picture frames. Only an extreme/exceptional circumstance will cause it to tear/break. A set of 3 rather similar cards auctioned in 2007 at Christie's in New York also showed quite severe damage (see images nr 6-7). Those 3 cabinet cards were taken off the sinking Titanic by survivors, from Finland: 27-year old Elisabeth Johnson (nee Alina Backberg) and her 19-month old daughter Eleanor; husband Oscar Johnson had remained in USA. Christie's selling price of $2,880 in 2007 for these incredibly scarce and fascinating significant artifacts is, by later standards, a total "bargain" (having been on the ship!; mentioning the ship's name!; depicting onboard passengers!; taken off the ship by survivors!). In the centenary year 2012 and still until today this certainly could or even would have been at least 10(!) to 20(!) times higher; indeed, at least some $30,000 to $60,000 (if not double that). This is also evident from artifact sales in the years since the 100th anniversary. ... more
Mainly on the front of the card the glued-on gray paper stock has partially detached, exposing an area of sand colored cardboard stock. Since the adjoining gray paper still is extremely strong fixated to the cardboard, really almost fused, the aforementioned detachment of the gray surface layer should have occurred after the cabinet card having become partially wet (soaked). Furthermore, on the back there is clearly an area of brightening of the gray paper next to the tear; this also points strongly towards wettening of the card. One can imagine that the corner could easily break once that region was soaked. As explained in the previous paragraph, a thick and strong card like this will otherwise not break easily at all. So yes I am thinking ocean water and people struggling to survive!
Finally, image nr 8 (image found on the web) shows an exactly similar card, now portraying a girl with doll, presumably also aged 6-8 (or older? younger?). The seller of that card mentioned "light water marks on the back & front edges of the card". Also the girl in that photo wears a ring on her right hand middle finger. Her facial characteristics appear identical to those of the girl in my collection's photo card. Hair length and curlyness seem very similar, although styled differently. In both photos the dress and collar are the same, however these may be studio material. Furthermore, that other card clearly displays water stains in the lower left area (as also stated by the seller), very consistent with my damaged photo card. In all, to me it definitely seems that in both photos the same girl is posing and also that both cards were part of a set. Possibly also a photo card showing only the mature woman had been produced.
Altogether based on the circumstances there is no doubt in my mind that the woman and/or the girl with unknown nationality in this fascinating photo portrait are Titanic passenger(s), most probably survivor(s). Still this ideally has yet to be confirmed through evidence. Hopefully someone out there can somehow manage to identify the woman and/or the girl posing together. The girl may be aged 6-8 (or older? younger?). The woman, face quite wrinkled, perhaps aged 45-55 (or older? younger?), could well be the girl's mother or grandmother or otherwise related. Any information resulting in the conclusive identification (full name) of one or both females photographed together will be awarded by me financially. By the way, apart from the one in my collection and the aforementioned lot at Christie's, I have never come across a similar kind of "souvenir photo" for another time-period White Star Line ship such as Oceanic, Adriatic, Olympic, Majestic, or any other ocean liner company. In any case, similar or identical photo cards never seem to be offered at auction and, even more so, simply can not be found on the internet. Possibly the souvenir cabinet photo card was a short lived novelty surrounding the maiden voyage of this then largest and most advanced ocean liner Titanic.
Although this article has been kept relatively short, I consider this artifact to be one of the rarest, most special and significant, and (potentially) one of the most significant and valuable in my collection; without doubt one of the many highlights. ☆
$ 500 REWARD FOR ANY INFO LEADING TO IDENTIFICATION OF WOMAN &/OR GIRL
This cigar smoking 'set' was found in the attic of captain E.J. Smith's house, 17 Marine Crescent, Liverpool.
Titanic capt. Edward John Smith cigar box & cigar holder, c1900
Size cigar box: 6.4 x 6.4 x 13.9 cm (2.5 x 2.5 x 5.5 in) ☆ Weight: 150 gr (5.3 oz) ☆
Size cigar holder: 1.6 x 3.9 cm (0.6 x 3.7 in) ☆ Weight: 7 gr (0.25 oz) ☆
UNIQUE ATTIC FINDINGS FROM LIVERPOOL HOME OF LATER TITANIC CAPTAIN !
Try find another ! Amazing scarce unprecedented collectible specialty !
Early in 1988 a woman aged 30 and named Ros(i)e bought the residence 17 Marine Crescent in Liverpool, England, UK. Only several years later, early 1990s, production researchers for the James Cameron movie "Titanic" (1997) came to her house. On that occasion she learned something very special: Edward John Smith, the later Titanic captain, had lived in this house from 1898 to 1907, along with his wife Sarah Eleanor Pennington, and her mother Sarah Pennington, and also the couple's newborn only child Helen Melville Smith. Furthermore a maid and a cook occupied the house, and there was a stable boy.
When Ros(i)e came to live in the house she found a series of antique objects dating from c1900, discovered mainly in the attic, and cherished these for some 25 years. In 2012 she wrote a little book (really more like a brochure) about the house and the Smith family: "The Captain, Titanic & Me" (YouCaxton Publications). At one point she had organized tours in and around the house, for tourists, also showcasing the found family belongings. Early 2014 she decided to part from these old objects, and started selling them off (see overview in last image). I managed to get hold of two very interesting pieces: a cigar box and a cigar holder from the later captain of Titanic!
E.J. Smith was born 27 January 1850 and had married Eleanor in 1887. Eleven years later their daughter "Mel" was born and that same year, 1898, they moved to 17 Marine Crescent, Liverpool, being close to the White Star Line docks. After having serviced more than a dozen WSL ships since 1880, from 1895 to 1904 Smith captained Majestic (Majestic 1). Then, 1904-1907, Baltic. In 1907 the WSL head office relocated to Southampton, and subsequently the family did too (however Smith's mother-in-law and also maid and cook continued to live in the Liverpool house). There, from 1907 to 1911 Smith was captain of Adriatic. In 1911 he captained Olympic, and in 1912 her sister ship Titanic. ... more
The cigar box is a small one, for holding a maximum of some 14 cigars. Over time, cigars' length has evolved to about 5.5 or 6.5 or even 7 inch (14 / 16.5 / 18 cm), but around 1900 this was only 4 or 4.5 inch (10 or 11.5 cm). The box's wood, low in weight, may be pear or cherry. At the lid's top it shows remnants of a piece of fabric (velvet?). The box's detailing and finishing are magnificently refined, and the lid closes extremely precise; truly impressive craftmanship. Since I always look for details, any details, to my surprise I did some great forensic findings (inside the cracks of the box): one small piece of a cigar's tobacco leaf, 1.0 cm (0.4 in), and two short beard hairs, 1.1 & 1.6 cm (0.4 & 0.6 in). From captain Smith! See image nr 6 for the hi-res scan.
The cigar holder is made of bone, amber, and silver, and it has the typical opening diameter for cigars of that period: 12.5 mm (0.5 in). The smell from inside this opening is, even after this many many decades, still very distinctive of cigar. The silver hallmarks are an anchor (for Birmingham), a lion (for sterling silver), and a serif letter "a" (for 1900). The maker's mark is "J.S S.S", which has remained unidentified.
There is only one photo of Smith holding and smoking a cigar that I know of: the famous photo of him with one of his Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound), named "Ben", most likely on board Baltic, this also hence Smith wearing the 1903 "Transport" decoration (in 1908 followed by the "Reserve" decoration). This found cigar holder shows to be an exact match with the one from the old photo; see the montage in image nr 5 (detail scan kindly provided by Arts & Heritage department of Southampton City Council). The similarity not only shows in the shape and design, but especially in the mouth end tip and also in the silver middle part. On the old photo the silver end cap may be missing; also at the 2014 sale the cap was photographed and described as detached (loose). After my extensive research on time-period cigar holders, I now know that variety in design was almost endless and that one will not easily find two (quite) similar specimen. So altogether to my conviction this cigar holder is the very one from the photo of captain Smith with his dog Ben. ☆
SS Celtic 'at sea' Third Class menu, mentions building of Titanic
Size (regular postcard size): 8.8 x 14.0 cm (3.5 x 5.5 in) ☆
REALLY QUITE RARE ! NOT TITANIC MENU BUT ANYWAY MENTIONING TITANIC !
Try find another ! Amazing scarce unprecedented specialty collectible !
On board White Star Line vessels, menu cards were printed on a daily basis. Cards preprinted dark blue would then be imprinted black for ship name, date, and menu. This particular Third Class menu card, which would also serve as advertising postcard, was issued at sea on 26 May 1910. On the reverse, third and fourth line, it mentions the building of Olympic and Titanic. At that time, SS Celtic was the first of "The Big Four"; when launched, these were the largest steamships in the world: Celtic (1901), Cedric (1902), Baltic (1903), Adriatic (1907). From these four the later Titanic captain E.J. Smith had captained Baltic and Adriatic. Celtic was launched 1901 and, after a grounding incident, ultimately scrapped 1933-1934. This card would have been more interesting if written on and subsequently posted by a passenger sailing Celtic.
The Third Class menu card for Titanic looked virtually identical, see image nr 4, however with auction result $44,650 (incl. premium); that was at Bonhams, 1 May 2005. If I am correct, that still is the only Third Class menu card known to exist after the sinking disaster. A survivor named Sarah Roth had kept the Titanic menu in her handbag while she was secured by lifeboat "C". ☆
10(+1) men and flywheel (spokes still with sand from sand casting?!): Hick, Hargreaves & Co Ltd, Bolton, UK.
Hick, Hargreaves & Co: 12' (3.66 m) flywheel "For Titanic", RPPC
Size: 13.9 x 8.7 cm (5.4 x 3.4 in) ☆
UNSEEN ! MAYBE ENGINE OR PROPULSION COMPONENT, OR JUST BALONEY !
Try find another ! Amazing scarce unprecedented specialty collectible !
[ Article text still to come.] ☆
Movie prop of high quality: sand-cast alumin(i)um, 2-color powder coating, pyrex heat-resistant glass, etc.
Decklight prop reference model, crafted for movie 'Titanic' 1997
Diameter: 27 cm (10.6 in) Depth: 19 cm (7.5 in) ☆ Weight: 3.6 kg (8 lb) ☆
BEDAZZLING RARE 1997 MOVIE ARTIFACT ! STILL NOT SEEN ANY OF OTHER 50 !
Try find another ! Amazing scarce unprecedented specialty collectible !
On board Titanic a so called "deck light" or "bulkhead light" would illuminate decks, promenades and some other locations. Its design (construction) was probably not exclusive but generic; I have seen nearly identical fixtures on photos from other liner companies. Such light was utilized not only for walls but also for ceilings. On Titanic it even was affixed to the stern, perhaps as a beacon, or if you will rear light, and/or for some purpose when docking. When used as a wall fixture the bulb inside and the third "leg" would point downwards, and at the top the power cord would enter the fixture through a thick pipe. In the 20th Century Fox movie "Titanic" (1997) the deck light on the stern was mistakenly attached upside down. Another film production mistake (read: shortcut) was the missing weather shield for the lights on decks and promenades. This shield on the fixture's side directing to the ship's bow was to prevent sea water from spraying into the fixture. Image nr 5 clearly shows such protective shield.
This deck light was developed for the aforementioned Hollywood blockbuster movie (1997), which was written, directed, co-produced and co-edited by Canadian film director James Cameron. When comparing the deck light to the original, seen in photos of Olympic and Titanic, it becomes clear that the objective was not to create a realistic copy. The deviations are most obvious when comparing to the recovered artifact from the debris field (see last image); almost every detail is rather "off" compared to the original deck light. Still, this presumably should not have been a concern, since the movie is in motion continuously and the deck lights are relatively small and sometimes blurred in the background most of the time. Having said all that, it should have been a minor effort to shape the three "legs" more slender and the three "feet" much rounder, instead of somewhat plump as is now. ... more
Whereas the c1912 original deck light would have been made of cast iron and (?) brass or bronze, this authentic 1997 movie reproduction is constructed of sand-cast alumin(i)um derived from a limewood prototype. Subsequently the casting was finished in black and white powder coating (electrostatically applied powder paint, then baked in an oven). The white, although presumably a common RAL (nr.9010?), is a beautiful softer white, really very maritime looking; nothing like the too often seen harsh whites. The steel wing nut and round washer and bolt, for fixating the cover, are electroplated in bronze finish. The dome shaped glass is toughened "pyrex", heat resistant, to take the 500 Watt filament bulb used within on the film set. A rubber hoop on the glass/cover ensures a water tight seal, since these deck lights would actually be submerged during the movie's sinking scenes.
This specimen from my collection was the very first to be produced and assembled. It served as reference model in the preparation of drilling jigs, submersion checks, glass templates, as well as reference model when producing the ordered run of 50. The manufacturing company was Cutting Edge Models & Effects, Middlesex (UK), under supervision of Andrew Stidston, director/designer. Whereas the complete production run of 50 deck lights was shipped to Rosarita in Mexico (the film set on the coast), this model "0" never crossed the ocean but remained in England. Apart from this prototype, I had never seen or heard of any of the other produced 50 prop deck lights still existing. Although most of the film set was scandalously dumped closeby the filmset – in many civilized countries this would be considered a serious wrongdoing, a serious environmental felony – it seems unlikely that all 50 were scrapped for reclaiming its resource materials (aluminium). Maybe a number of the deck lights today still exist as a light fixture at home or at the office. It was only in July 2024 that I learned about 3 screen used deck lights still existing (1 of which with missing glass).
For effect I photographed my deck light with an "antique" incandescent bulb of 100 Watt. However, hanging from my ceiling it is fitted with an extremely energy efficient low wattage LED bulb. ☆
At the film set, only 1 side of the ship was built. For port side views special shots were flipped during editing.
Lifeboat reversed nameplate prop, screen used in 'Titanic' 1997
Size: 4.2 x 33.5 cm (1.65 x 13.2 in) ☆ Thick: 0.5 cm (0.2 in) ☆
VERY SCARCE ! SALVAGED FROM DUMPED MOVIE SET IN ROSARITO, MEXICO !
Try find another ! Amazing scarce unprecedented specialty collectible !
[ Article text still to come.] ☆
Thank you for visiting! Till some next time! Titanic forever!
If you, like I, also are interested in (modern) art, then have a look at my brilliant showstopping Karel Appel "CoBrA" movement oil paintings, 1948 and 1950. A thrift store business discovered them as a pair in the attic during a 2010 estate clearance of a deceased very wealthy Dutch widow. Both works are undisputable genuine from the artist (Christiaan Karel Appel, 1921-2006), which is totally evident in all aspects, yet the Karel Appel Foundation (KAF) denied the thrift store owner a Certificate Of Authenticity. KAF not recognizing ("with a doubt"), not acknowledging the paintings as authentic is truly astonishing. So was it anxiety?, jealousy?, bluntness?, arrogance?, disinterest?, superficiality? Personally I think it was a blend of this array of characteristics. Quite ironically, KAF's 'doubt' enabled me to acquire Appel's vibrant expressionist masterpieces from the thrift shop (2016)! CLICK HERE
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