A routine home visit by antiques expert Charles Hanson led to the discovery of a single cup worth £2,000 among a host of household clutter.
Charles, who regularly visits houses to assess large collections, spotted the rare antique find on a shelf on a house in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Among a mish-mash of pottery and glassware was an exclusive cup produced more than 100 years ago for use by passengers on the Titanic.
The cup with a cobalt blue and gilt design, marked White Star Line, was made by Liner china firm Spode for Stoney & Co in Liverpool.
Charles said: “I immediately spotted its distinctive design featuring pattern number R4332. These cups were made for first-class passengers who set sail on the ill-fated liner. The pattern was used on china created for Titanic’s first-class restaurant. This particular design may also have been used for room service on private promenade suites.”
The cup has been estimated to fetch up to £2,000 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers – and it’s expected to spark strong demand. Its condition is good apart from a small chip which is commensurate with age.
Charles said: “One can only imagine what a passenger must have felt when, perhaps, cups like this one, and their contents, began to shake when the Titanic hit the iceberg.
“It’s thought the Spode pattern R4332 was exclusively reserved for the Titanic and some items may have been presented at the time as a company gift or sold as White Starline souvenirs to wealthy passengers. Pieces of this distinctive pattern R4332 have been recovered at the site of where the Titanic sank.”
The Titanic was said to be unsinkable. Philip Franklin, White Starline vice president, said in 1912, ‘There is no danger that the Titanic will sink, the boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers’.
It was the largest of ship of its time on route from Southampton to New York when it sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. More than 1,500 of 2,224 passengers onboard lost their lives.
To enquire about booking a home visit with Hansons Auctioneers, downsizing or house clearance, please email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
