A water-stained menu and a pocket watch from the Titanic were found and are now up for auction. Check out the amazing story of how they were discovered.
A rare, water-stained, and somewhat faded first-class menu from the ill-fated Titanic is set to be put up for auction this Saturday.
It’s part of a collection of memorabilia linked to the doomed ocean liner.
Auctioned by the British house Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd., the damaged menu provides a glimpse into what the most privileged passengers aboard the Titanic dined on.
This occurred just three days before the ship’s tragic encounter with an iceberg, which ultimately led to its sinking in the unforgiving waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
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The Discovery
This extraordinary artifact emerged this year, thanks to the family of Canadian historian Len Stephenson.
In Nova Scotia, he lived where they brought the bodies of Titanic victims after rescuing them from the sea.
In a twist of fate, Stephenson’s daughter Mary Anita and her husband Allen stumbled upon the menu.
However, the secret of how Len Stephenson acquired this precious relic remains buried with him, as he took it to his grave.
Tragic Voyage
Though it has suffered from water damage over the years, the menu shows a list of offerings.
These offerings include delicacies like spring lamb with mint sauce, “squab à la godard,” and “apricots bordaloue,” which remain decipherable.
Notably, the auction house reported that a few menus from April 14, the fateful night when the Titanic struck the iceberg, still exist.
These menus, presumably carried in passengers’ coat and jacket pockets from earlier in the evening, survived with their owners as they disembarked the ship.
Pocket watch
In addition to the historic menu, a pocket watch with its own compelling story is also up for grabs.
This pocket watch belonged to Sinai Kantor, a Russian immigrant who tragically lost his life in the Titanic disaster.
Kantor’s wife, however, survived the ordeal at sea.
The Swiss-made watch shows signs of heavy corrosion from the Atlantic’s saltwater. The Hebrew figures on its stained face remain visible.
Historic Artifact
The auction house expects the pocket watch to fetch at least £50,000 (approximately $61,500).
The same source estimates that the Titanic menu will sell for £60,000 (about $73,800).
These artifacts bear the weight of history and offer a poignant and tangible connection to one of the most infamous maritime tragedies of all time.
Banner photo via Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd.’s official website.
Frequently Asked Questions
A rare, water-stained, faded first-class menu from the Titanic was set for auction by British house Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd., offering a glimpse of what the ship’s most privileged passengers dined on.
Though water-damaged, the menu still lists decipherable dishes including spring lamb with mint sauce, squab à la godard, and apricots bordaloue. It dates to three days before the ship’s encounter with the iceberg, per the article.
The menu surfaced through the family of Canadian historian Len Stephenson of Nova Scotia, where Titanic victims’ bodies were brought. His daughter Mary Anita and her husband Allen found it, and how he acquired it remains unknown.
The pocket watch belonged to Sinai Kantor, a Russian immigrant who died in the Titanic disaster, while his wife survived. The Swiss-made watch is heavily corroded by saltwater, but Hebrew figures on its stained face remain visible.
Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd. expected the Sinai Kantor pocket watch to fetch at least £50,000 (about $61,500) and estimated the first-class menu at £60,000 (about $73,800). Both lots were part of a collection of Titanic memorabilia.
