A Chinese jeweler bought a key that led to the sinking of the
colossal Titanic 95 years ago for 78,000 pounds (US$157,930) in
London on Saturday.
Shen Dongjun, the new owner of the key, is the CEO of TESIRO
China, the largest jewelry retailer opened by a European company on
the Chinese mainland, according to the Nanjing-based Yangtze
Evening News.
The key that led to the
death of 1,522 passengers and crew on the Titanic 95 years ago sold
at an auction over the weekend.
The key will go on display in Nanjing soon, said the report.
Shen entrusted Kunal Mehta, the son of Kaushik Mehta, Board
Chairman of TESIRO, to take part in the auction held by Christies
in London on Saturday afternoon.
The key was the only one that could open the binocular telescope
on the Titanic's lookout platform during her virgin voyage from
Southampton to New York in April 1912.
David Blair, the second mate on the ship, was in charge of the
key but forgot to hand it to others when he was replaced by a more
experienced seaman, Henry Wilder, the report said.
Shen Dongjun, the new owner
of the key
Lookouts had to observe the surroundings with their
naked eyes when the ship was sailing across the icy waters of the
North Atlantic.
By the time they spotted an iceberg, it was too late to avoid
it.
The Titanic sunk rapidly as five of her sixteen watertight
compartments flooded.
Up to 1,522 passengers and crew died.
The daughter of Blair donated the key to a local sailor's
association in the 1980s.
At least 400 items including letters and post cards related to
the ship were on sale at the auction.
(Shanghai Daily September 25, 2007)
