Titanic memorabilia

Yesterday I became curious about the value of the artifacts associated with the Titanic. Several pieces of memorabilia have been auctioned off over the last several years. Here's what I found out:

Titanic poster
1/28/99 - Swann Galleries
Broadside ad from the White Star Line advertising 3rd-class passage on the Titanic's return voyage from New York to Europe (expected to sell for at least $10,000, 1st image).

Titanic Boarding Pass
4/10/99 - Sanford & Son Antiques
a survivor's immigrant-inspection card (expected to fetch $5,000)

"Titanic and Other Legendary Liners"
6/10/04 - Guernsey's
More than 450 lots containing 5 menus, a deck chair (2nd image), a life jacket (estimated to sell for $30,000 or more), a name plate from one of the lifeboats (appraised at $75,000-$100,000), a pocket watch (5th image), a 19" section of carved English oak from the grand staircase, and signatures of famous Titanic passengers such as Molly Brown (1867-1932) and John Jacob Astor (1864-1912).

"Ocean liners Furnishings and Art"
6/1/06 - Christie's
Name boards from a lifeboat on the Titanic (expected to reach $40,000 each, 4th image) and 9 other lots of Titanic memorabilia.

Titanic memorabilia
6/28/07 - Christie's
A total of 18 lots included a Titanic life jacket (sold for $119,000), a handwritten account by survivor Laura Marie Cribb ($16,800), letters, postcards, telegrams, and photographs of passengers.

Maritime Auction
7/08 - Christie's
Among the 250 lots for sale were 10 items from the Titanic, including a second-class passenger list (sold for $56,250), 2 marconigrams from and to survivors ("Safe on Carpathia," read one), and a life vest ($68,500).

Survivor's keepsakes
10/18/08 - Henry Aldridge and Son
Millvina Dean, longest-living Titanic survivor, parted with 7 items, including a suitcase of clothes donated when she reached New York after the disaster (which went for £10,800), prints (£9,250), and letters from the Titanic Relief Fund and elsewhere (£11,100).

Letters written aboard Titanic
1/09 - Spink Smythe
Letters written on White Star Lines stationery by 2 1st-class passengers, one who perished and one who survived (expected to sell for up to $20,000 each).

Titanic key
4/09 -
A total of 130 lots included items belonging to Millvina Dean, last living Titanic survivor. A key and a brass tag engraved "SERVICE FOR 'E' DECK" that belonged to a 1st-class cabin steward who drowned (sold for £60,000, 3rd image).

White Star Line Memorabilia
4/17/10 - Henry Aldridge & Son
Included in 350 lots were a set of keys to Titanic's binocular room (sold for £54,000, 3rd image), a photo of survivor Rosa Abott (sold for £35,000), and a letter written by a 1st class passenger to his wife while aboard the ship (sold for £55,000).

Titanic Survivor's Account
10/16/10 - Henry Aldridge & Son
A first-person account by survivor Laura Mabel Francatelli (sold for £20,000) and poster of the Titanic (sold for £60,000).

National Geographic explorer Robert Ballard discovered the wreck in 1985 and asked that it be left undisturbed, but subsequent expeditions have salvaged over 6,000 artifacts from the wreck. The Guernsey's auction house states, "Care is being taken to ensure that none of the Titanic items are the result of modern salvage operations."