Rarely seen Titanic artefacts, including personal belongings and precious relics, have been revealed from their secret storage. This hidden warehouse, located somewhere in Atlanta, Georgia, holds thousands of items salvaged from the world’s most famous shipwreck, sparking intrigue and interest worldwide.
The items range dramatically from alligator skin handbags to delicate glassware, each with stories waiting to be told. RMS Titanic Inc, the company legally permitted to salvage these artefacts, has worked tirelessly to recover 5,500 treasures from the wreck site since being granted these rights by the U.S. court back in 1994.
Among the most captivating items is a beautifully preserved handbag belonging to Marian Meanwell, a third-class passenger. “It’s a really beautiful, fashionable little bag,” says Tomasina Ray, director of collections for RMS Titanic Inc.
This alligator skin bag miraculously survived the depths of the North Atlantic. Inside, it held remnants of Meanwell's life, including official papers and letters, all providing poignant insights about her final days.
Marian Meanwell, who had dedicated her life to being a milliner, was en route to the U.S. to be with her recently widowed daughter. “She was a 63-year-old milliner,” Tomasina shares, painting the picture of a woman full of dreams and hopes.
One of the most heartbreaking discoveries was her medical inspection card. It revealed, with chilling clarity, how fate intervened, as she was supposed to sail on another White Star Line ship, the Majestic, which did not depart, leading her to the Titanic.
Among the surprises found were tiny vials of perfume belonging to Adolphe Saalfeld, another Titanic passenger. “There was a perfume salesman on board, and he had over 90 of these little perfume vials,” Tomasina explained, noting their strong, lingering aroma even after decades underwater.
Saalfeld was one of the fortunate ones who survived, living with the heavy burden of having made it off the ship. The lingering scent of the perfume brings to mind the tragedy faced by those who didn’t escape.
For those venturing onboard the Titanic, the experience was nothing short of opulent, as evidenced by the champagne bottle also retrieved from the wreck. Sharing this fascinating find, Tomasina said, “A little bit of water probably would have gotten in through the cork as it compressed and equalised the pressure, and then it just sat on the bottom of the ocean.”
The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg, and the remains of its luxurious contents scattered throughout the ocean. “There are many bottles on the ocean floor and lots of kitchen pots, too,” Tomasina notes, highlighting how Titanic’s majestic experience met its tragic ending.
Much of the ship's cargo, including thousands of bottles of champagne, underscored the grand lifestyle of its first-class passengers. “It was like a floating palace... Titanic was supposed to be the most luxurious liner,” Tomasina emphasized.
Another remarkable piece presented were the ship’s rivets, integral to holding the Titanic together. “When Titanic sank, there was a theory they were using substandard materials, and that's what caused it to sink faster,” she explained, underlining the investigation still underway to understand this historic disaster.
Testing of the rivets has revealed concerning results, with some containing high concentrations of impurities. “If these rivets were brittle, and one of the rivet heads popped off easily, it could allow the seam to open up where the iceberg hit,” Tomasina cautioned, continuing to unravel the mysteries of the Titanic.
The artefacts also provide grim reminders of the class disparities onboard the ill-fated vessel. Everyday items like cups and plates differed greatly between passengers of various social standings, reflecting the era's stark class division.
The third-class mug was simple and utilitarian, adorned with the White Star logo, starkly contrasting the delicate china used by first-class passengers. “That pattern would have been colored but since it was under glaze, it was able to wash away,” Tomasina explained, reinforcing the idea of luxury versus necessity.
The Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912, brimming with hope for its passengers. Yet, this historic voyage would swiftly turn from expectation to tragedy, with approximately 1,496 lives lost after the tragic iceberg collision.
Each artefact uncovered at the secret warehouse acts not just as a relic but as a poignant reminder of the human stories, triumphs, and tragedies tied to the Titanic. The goal of preserving these artefacts goes far beyond mere exhibit; it tells the histories of the people who sailed on her.
