A poignant piece of Titanic history is set to go under the hammer on November 16, with a postcard penned by Richard William Smith just days before the ill-fated ship sank. The card, addressed to Mrs. Olive Dakin in Norwich, England, is postmarked April 11, 1912, three days before the Titanic struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage.
Smith, a British businessman and tea broker, was one of approximately 1,500 passengers who perished. The card reveals his travels, stating, 'Have had a fine run around to Queenstown. Just leaving for the land of stars and stripes.' It concludes with warm regards, 'Hope you are all quite well at home. Kindest regards, R.W.S.'
Andrew Aldridge, managing director of Henry Aldridge & Son, the auction house handling the sale, emphasized the card's significance as one of Smith's last communications. The postcard's rarity is heightened by its postmark from Cork, about 13 miles from Queenstown, where Smith boarded the Titanic.
The auction house anticipates the postcard will fetch up to £10,000 (approximately $12,900). This sale is part of a broader auction featuring Titanic memorabilia, which has previously included record-breaking items, such as a gold watch belonging to John Jacob Astor IV that sold for £1.175 million earlier this year.