Our fascination with the Titanic has kept it in the headlines for the past 112 years, but some of its secrets are still under lock and key. The BBC had the chance to visit a secret warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, filled with 5,500 of the ship's treasures, but was mum on its exact location due to the "value of its contents." They did reveal that the warehouse is the property of RMS Titanic Inc., the company that has exclusive salvage rights to the wreck's artifacts, which they display in part at special exhibitions. Here are a few gems that the outlet shared from the visit:
- The alligator purse of a 3rd class passenger: Through the contents of a salvaged bag made from alligator skin, the BBC learned the story of Marian Meanwell, a 63-year-old milliner who was set to travel on another ship but was transferred to the Titanic, where she lost her life. It contained her medical records, a faded photo, and a reference from her landlord, who vouched for her as a tenant so she could start her new life abroad near her recently widowed daughter.
- Scented vials from a perfume seller: Also recovered from the wreck were 90 vials of perfume that, though unopened, carry a pungent scent. They belonged to first-class passenger Adolphe Saalfeld, who was one of the 700 survivors. "He had passed by the time we found this," Tomasina Ray, director of collections, tells the BBC. "But it's my understanding that he did live with a bit of guilt—survivor's guilt."
- Class-divided dinnerware: Also on display were the three sets of plates and cups that each class on the ship used. People ate off dinnerware that reflected their ticket prices, with sturdy and plain cups and plates going to third-class passengers. Second-class ticketholders had more refined china decorated in a blue floral print, while their first-class shipmates were treated to delicate china that had a gold trim.
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more of the artifacts and the stories behind them. (A billionaire plans to prove it's still safe to
visit the Titanic.)
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