Plan of Titanic sells at auction for €220,000

John Besley, PA

A plan of the Titanic used during the inquiry into the sinking of the ship in 1912 has sold at auction for almost £200,000.

The 32ft (9.7m) cross-section plan made £195,000 (€220,000) from a UK buyer when it went under the hammer on Saturday.

The extraordinary plan was used by witnesses and experts to establish the cause of the tragedy, and even contains original chalk marks showing what happened.

The enormous drawing, which was mounted on linen, was so pivotal to the inquiry that it was put up in the official hearing room so witnesses could refer to it constantly.

The hand-drawn plan of the Titanic was prepared by White Star Line architects for the 1912 British inquiry into the sinking of the ship, just weeks after the disaster.

It allowed the 96 witnesses called to testify to indicate various parts of the ship using a pointer.

After the inquiry concluded the loss of the ship had been brought about by “excessive speed”, the plan was returned to White Star.

In 2011, it was bought by a private collector for £220,000, which was then a world record for Titanic memorabilia.

Since 2012 it has been on public display in Belfast and has been viewed by several million people.

The plan went on sale alongside a host of other Titanic memorabilia, with an accommodation plan for the ship being picked up for £60,000.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge & Son, said: “We were delighted with the auction, the prices reflect the rarity of the material offered for auction but also the enduring appeal of the Titanic story.

“She sank 111 years ago but the memory of those passengers and crew lives on through the memorabilia.”