Cup and saucer from Titanic discovered in Sutton Coldfield fetches £6,000 at West Midlands auction
A coffee cup and saucer produced for the ill-fated RMS Titanic has sold at a West Midlands auction for £6,000 - five times its estimated sale price.
The distinctive crockery, cobalt blue with gilt, was made by 'liner china' firm Spode for Stonier & Co in Liverpool, and used by first-class passengers on the liner.
It was bought by an unnamed customer in the US during the sale at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield on Wednesday.
Mr Winterton, who was on the rostrum when the items went under the hammer, said they had attracted interest from around the world.
"We had a tremendous amount of national and international interest in this lovely little cup and saucer," he said.
"It was an exciting moment in the saleroom as bids flew in, finalising at a superb £6,000 from the winning bidder in the USA."
The cup and saucer were discovered during a house clearance in the Four Oaks area of Sutton Coldfield.
Sarah Williams, senior valuer at Richard Winterton, said: "The Spode demitasse coffee cup and saucer in luxurious cobalt blue and gilt were produced around 1911 and both pieces are marked 'White Star Line'."
She added that crucially, they bore the pattern number R4332.
"This opulent pattern is believed to have been used in Titanic's first-class restaurant but some experts suggest it was produced in such limited numbers that it may only have been used for room service on private promenade suites.
"It's incredible to hold this cup and saucer and think of first-class passengers sipping coffee on the Titanic. This example has a few small chips and wear commensurate with age but the pieces really are in remarkable condition for such delicate ceramics over 110 years old.
"Pieces of the distinctive R4332 ceramic are known to have been recovered from the wreck of Titanic."
The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on April 15, 1912. It was the world's largest ship and was said to have been 'unsinkable'.
More than 1,500 people, from the estimated 2,224 passengers on board died, with the ship not having enough lifeboats. The ship's captain Edward Smith is commemorated with a statue in Lichfield's Beacon Park.
