The Story of... Titanic survivor Millvina Dean and her memorabilia

Earlier this week, Paul Fraser Collectibles had a look at the how Academy Award wins can boost the values of movie memorabilia.

Costumes worn by Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock or props from the epic movie Titanic, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, can bring large amounts at auction.

But what about memorabilia attached to the events which inspired these movie moments?

In 2008, a collection of memorabilia items from the real-life Titanic went under the hammer, reaping some incredible results.

Among the prized lots was the RMS Titanic's Crow's Nest Key, sold with a postcard written onboard by First Second Officer David Blair on April 4, 1912.

The key sold for £90,000.

The auction was held by auctioneer Henry Aldridge & Son, host of a number of sales of Titanic memorabilia.

Also at Henry Aldridge, the Edmund Stone Collection - featuring a pocket watch, a key, a penknife and other paraphernalia from the ship - brought an incredible £245,000.

Henry Aldridge & Son's next RMS Titanic auction is scheduled for April 2010.

In the meantime, this week's Paul Fraser Collectibles "Story of..." video looks at the story of Millvina Dean (1912-2009): the last living survivor of the Titanic disaster.


The ship they called 'unsinkable': the RMS Titanic

Just nine months old when the accident took place, Dean and her mother were among the survivors, after which they were looked-after in America and greeted with much attention and fuss.


A poster for James Cameron's 1997
Hollywood retelling of the disaster

Unable to remember the disaster herself, Dean continued with her life, including living through World War Two. In her seventies, she began taking a keen involvement in remembrance of the Titanic.

Towards the very end of her life, Dean remained outspoken and keen to remind others of the true human cost of the Titanic disaster.

"The Titanic was a tragedy which tore so many families apart," she said upon hearing that the popular science-fiction TV series Doctor Who was to base an episode on a 'spoof' of the Titanic.

"I lost my father and he lies on that wreck. I think it is disrespectful to make entertainment of such a tragedy."

The above video, a report by the news network CNN, investigates Dean's story, her time during the ship's sinking and her involvement in the auctioning of Titanic memorabilia.

In other news, Hollywood director James Cameron - whose most recent hit Avatar has taken cinemas by storm - has announced his intention to rerelease his epic movie retelling of the RMS Titanic's disaster in 3D.

 

 

Featured products

Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Sale price£399
In stock
Fidel Castro signed certificateFidel Castro Signed Certificate
Fidel Castro signed certificate
Sale price£2,995
In stock
King Henry VIII Autographed DocumentKing Henry VIII Autographed Document
King Henry VIII Autographed Document
Sale price£55,000
In stock