RMS Titanic Objects

District Heights, MD

On Sunday 14 April at 11. 40 pm the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg. By 2. 20 am on Monday 15 April, Titanic sank in the cold Atlantic Ocean. The Titanic presently rests 12,460 feet (2. 5 miles) below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean, 450 miles southeast of Newfoundland. The bow and stern are separated by 2,000 feet, their contents scattered forming what is referred to as the debris field.

Recovery of artifacts from the wreck-site began not long after the final resting place of the ship was discovered in 1985. Expeditions in 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, and most recently in 2004, have recovered nearly 5,500 artifacts. We work closely with Premier Exhibitions, Inc, the salvor-in-possession, to preserve the collection. Through careful processes, artifacts are treated to remove damaging chloride salts and stabilize the artifacts for display in exhibitions that travel the world. Each object is desalinated, cleaned, dried, appropriately protected, and maintained using preventative conservation methods. The conservation of salvaged artifacts is an on-going process.

Artifacts treated at our studio include service items for use in first, second and third class dining, such as cook pots, flatware, plates, bowls, cups, crystal decanters; personal effects such as eye glasses, shavers, pill boxes, cigarette cases, coins and jewelry; and ship’s fittings such as porthole’s, engine telegraphs, light fixtures and hardware.