Titanic violin sold

Subject: Titanic violin sold
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Oct 13 - 02:06 PM

LONDON — It is one of the most famous instruments in the world, a wooden symbol of selflessness, courage and resolve.

And on Saturday, the violin reportedly played on the deck of the Titanic while the doomed liner tilted and slowly sank into the icy North Atlantic a century ago sold for $1.45 million — more than twice the amount anticipated.


Washington Post story here

Comments anyone? My wife for one doesn't believe that a violin could last that long in the water.

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 13 - 02:13 PM

And only two strings on it! Just imagine what it would have fetched if it had all four strings!!!

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: GUEST,Johnmc
Date: 20 Oct 13 - 02:22 PM

Apparently, it was tied to the back of the deceased as his body floated face down with the life jacket. Also, it was in a leather bag.
Aside from the heroism, it is a leap of faith to believe that such an object would have received such little attention until now.

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: GUEST,Ian G
Date: 20 Oct 13 - 03:12 PM

There was I for all those years thinking it as a ukulele he was playing when the ship went down he he ...

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Oct 13 - 04:57 PM

My Washington Post link doesn't seem to work so here goes:

CNN Story

Telegraph Video

BBC story

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: banjoman
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 05:36 AM

I believe that the authenticity of the instrument has been challenged some time ago.

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: GUEST,Rev Bayes
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 01:58 PM

You don't do high profile auctions of unauthenticated instruments. And there is reasonable supporting evidence and a believable story. They sat on it for seven years before they were happy to confirm it, IIRC.

Hide glue's not water soluble, and besides it was below freezing.

Also on the subject of myths, if it turned up in a case it wasn't being played as the damn thing went down.

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 02:14 PM

There was considerable discussion about the history of the instrument a few months ago, and reasonable explanations for why it took so long for it to be offered for sale. The verifications were extensive.

That it was in a case doesn't mean much, since no one really knows when the orchestra packed up and jumped into the sea.

As to There was I for all those years thinking it as a ukulele he was playing when the ship went down he he ... , perhaps that's the result of confusing the Titanic's concert master with Warren Buffet who was also in the news today (and apparently hasn't practiced much more than I have recently).

John

Subject: RE: Titanic violin sold
From: breezy
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 01:25 PM

didnt look titanic, looked a normal size fiddle to me like those they chucked out into the school skip when closing Langleybury in 1996.

Austerity ? my arse.

we know the world's gone mad

hope the suckers get the help they deserve

my uncle has the real one anyway