Ear: Postcard

Yet another tidbit of Titanic memorabilia is going on the auction block as Lot 347 on Saturday at Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd. in Devizes, Wiltshire, England: An onboard postcard, apparently the only one known to have the postmark “Cork 3:45 p.m. April 11-1912.”

Valuable not only for its Titanic origin but also for its unique postmark and vintage stamp, the postcard is expected to fetch from $7,700 to $12,900.

Bachelor Richard William Smith, 57, a London tea broker and first-class passenger who was on a business trip to New York, wrote the postcard in pencil, which was addressed to a friend in Norwich, England. “Have had a fine run around to Queenstown,” he wrote, referring to the first stop on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. “Just leaving for the land of stars and stripes. Hope you are all quite well at home.” He signed with his initials.

He was traveling with a family friend, Emily Nichols, who disembarked at Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland. It is presumed she mailed the postcard in Cork, Ireland, once she was ashore.

Smith, unfortunately, never made it to shore. He died in the Titanic disaster, much like John Jacob Astor IV, great-grandson of Astoria’s founder but, unlike Astor, according to the Encyclopedia Titanica, if his body was recovered, it was not identified. (Photo: Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd.)