Lot 219

Official Harland & Wolff Glass Plate Printed Photograph of Titanic Sea Trials on April 2!

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Official Harland & Wolff Glass Plate Printed Photograph of Titanic Sea Trials on April 2!

Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000

Current Bid: $500

(1 Bid)

June 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Titanic
n.p., n.d.
Official Harland & Wolff Glass Plate Printed Photograph of Titanic Sea Trials on April 2!
Photograph

An official Harland & Wolff original glass plate printed photograph showing the White Star luxury passenger liner R.M.S. Titanic undergoing her sea trials on April 2, 1912 somewhere outside of Belfast Harbor. The black and white semi-gloss photograph shows Titanic in a side profile, escorted by tugboats and smaller watercraft at the back and side. Hand-stamped as: "Harland & Wolff … H1722 / Belfast" verso. Expected moderate to heavy wear including scattered wrinkles, closed tears, and corner pinholes. Isolated surface distress, water-stains, and abrasions including a small bleached area near center right just touching the ship's forward mast. Overall toning and isolated discoloration verso. Else fair. 10 " x 8." Provenance: According to our consignor, this photograph comes from the Harland & Wolff Archives, and was verified by the Photographic Collections Department of the Ulster Transport Museum (Belfast, Northern Ireland.)

The photograph shows Titanic's starboard side, where she collided with the fatal iceberg on April 14th.

Titanic's sea trials were conducted over the course of about 12 hours on April 2, 1912 in the Belfast Lough and the Irish Sea. Titanic was put through its paces by a skeleton crew, who tested the ship's handling at different speeds, ability to turn, and suddenly stop. Harland & Wolff representatives were on board, as well as Board of Trade inspectors who ultimately deemed the ship seaworthy. Ship designer Thomas Andrews was on board during the trials, as were Marconi telegraph operators Jack Philips and Harold Bride, all of whom would undertake Titanic's maiden voyage. Andrews and Phillips died during the sinking.

British shipbuilder Harland & Wolff was established in 1861 and still operates today. It is best known for manufacturing Titanic, along with her sister ships, Olympic (launched 1910) and Britannic (launched 1914). The White Star liners were constructed at a special Harland & Wolff site in Belfast Harbor to accommodate the vessels' size.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 10 " x 8"
  • Medium: Photograph

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000