LONDON, UK — A collection of personal items from passengers who perished on the Titanic in 1912, including a pocket watch, tickets, and money, will be auctioned later this month, offering a rare glimpse into the tragic final moments of the ill-fated voyage.
Among the most notable items is a gilt silver and brass pocket watch, which was found among the belongings of Danish second-class passenger Hans Christensen Givard.
Givard, who was 27 years old at the time, was traveling to the United States with two friends, both of whom also died in the disaster.
The pocket watch is expected to fetch around £50,000 ($66,000) at the auction on April 26, 2025.
The timepiece is particularly poignant, as its movement is frozen in time at the moment the Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg in the cold North Atlantic waters.
Givard’s body was recovered and buried in Halifax, Canada, on May 10, 1912, and his personal items, including a savings book, keys, a compass, a passport, and cash in a wallet, were returned to his family.
Givard’s descendants are now offering the watch for sale, bringing a piece of Titanic history to auction.
Andrew Aldridge of Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers commented on the significance of the items, saying, “The watch’s movement is frozen in time at the moment the cold North Atlantic waters consumed not only its owner but the most famous ocean liner of all time, Titanic.”
Other items on sale include a letter and medal belonging to first-class Swedish passenger Erik Gustaf Lind, and a silver dollar certificate and rare third-class ticket used by Ernest Portage Tomlin, both of whom also perished in the disaster.
A particularly unique piece also up for auction is a violin, famously played by the bandleader in James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, which is expected to fetch as much as £60,000.
The auction provides a rare opportunity to acquire objects tied to one of the most infamous maritime tragedies in history, and each piece holds a personal connection to the lives lost that fateful night.
