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Sunday, 22 April 2007, 10:25 GMT 11:25 UK

Titanic memorabilia's record sale

Titanic's post room keys Keys belonging to the post room of the Titanic have sold for a record £100,000 at auction in Wiltshire.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the previous record for the amount paid for memorabilia from the liner was £57,000.

Also under the hammer in Devizes was a final letter from a passenger who described Titanic as "positive danger", which sold for £28,000.

The Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, sank on 15 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg.

"I had a little feeling that it might do something serious but I never expected it to do the £100,000," said auctioneer Andrew Aldridge.

The letter and inset of the signature "This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a Titanic item of this importance."

Mr Aldridge said the keys held a particular significance to collectors as the doomed ship's post office staff are reputed to have carried on working even as the vessel sank.

They were bought by an anonymous buyer from overseas.

The letter was written by wealthy farmer and landowner Alfred Rowe, 59, to his wife Constance, on 11 April 1912 from Queenstown, Ireland, the ship's last port of call before it sank with the loss of 1,522 lives.

In it he also complains of the ship's vast size: "My dearest girl, she is too big, you can't find your way about and it takes you too long to get anywhere."




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Related to this story:
Titanic letter warned of 'danger' (18 Apr 07 |  Wiltshire )
Ceremony marks Titanic disaster (15 Apr 07 |  Northern Ireland )
Titanic voyager list goes digital (14 Apr 07 |  Northern Ireland )
Titanic passenger lists go online (14 Apr 07 |  UK )
Student Titanic model makes waves (06 Feb 07 |  North East/N Isles )
Poignant journey to Titanic grave (30 Oct 06 |  Northern Ireland )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
History: Titanic
Titanic Historical Society
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