A violin once belonged to Jack Dawson from the famous sinking ship Titanic fetched £54,000 at an auction.
In the UK, a violin once played by actor Jonathan Evans-Jones during the filming of Titanic sold at auction for a tidy sum of £54,000. The sold item was part of a collection of Titanic memorabilia, auctioned in Wiltshire. The ship, known as the largest passenger liner at the time, tragically sank on April 15, 1912, following a collision with an iceberg during its maiden voyage.
In the iconic 1997 film by James Cameron, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, the violin was featured in the scene where the orchestra played 'Nearer My God to Thee', attempting to placate passengers as the ship sank. Evans-Jones portrayed Wallace Hartley, the orchestra leader, in the film, famously saying, "Gentlemen, it has been an honor to play with you tonight," as the scene ended.
Interestingly, the violin had previously been auctioned off in 2013 by Evans-Jones to a private collector. Later, it found its way back to Wiltshire for another auction round. Other noteworthy lots included a letter penned by Colonel Archibald Gracie, a survivor of the shipwreck, which fetched £30,000.
Titanic memorabilia continues to draw high prices at auctions due to its historical significance and public interest. For instance, Wallace Hartley’s violin, the bandmaster who played as the ship sank, previously sold for an impressive £1.1 million ($1.7 million) in 2013. Other valuable items include first-class menus, with one selling for over $100,000 in 2015.
Intriguingly, Colonel Archibald Gracie’s letter, selling for £300,000 during an auction in 2025, holds significant historical value. Aboard the Titanic, Gracie wrote, “It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her.” Sadly, Gracie died months post-disaster, becoming the first adult survivor to perish afterward.
The demand for Titanic items pertaining to specific passengers or final moments is particularly high, often commanding premiums. For instance, items like survival equipment or personal letters fetch top dollar. Moreover, the continued interest in these artifacts is demonstrated by high-profile sales facilitated by leading houses like Henry Aldridge & Son.
In the world of movies and TV entertainment, a violin once played by actor Jonathan Evans-Jones in the Titanic movie banked £54,000 when it was sold at auction in Wiltshire, Ireland. This violin, previously owned by Evans-Jones, had also been auctioned off in 2013 for a private collection. Collector of Titanic memorabilia, Wallace Hartley, famously portrayed by Evans-Jones in the movie, played the violin during the tragic sinking scene. Interestingly, a letter written by Colonel Archibald Gracie, a Titanic survivor, also sold at the same auction for £30,000, conveying his thoughts of the ship as a "fine ship."
