The violin played in the 1997 epic movie "Titanic" about the Belfast-built ship's disaster is expected to fetch up to £60k at auction this month as the world acknowledges the 113th anniversary of the tragedy.
In James Cameron's 1997 film "Titanic," the heartrending scene where the ship's band plays "Nearer, My God, to Thee" certainly stuck with the audience.
This portrayal pays tribute to the real-life actions of bandleader, Wallace Hartley, and his fellow musicians, who reportedly performed the hymn to calm passengers during the tragic descent of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912.
The violin used by actor Jonathan Evans-Jones, who portrayed Hartley in the film, is now slated for auction. Henry Aldridge & Son will offer this cinematic artifact on April 26, 2025.
The instrument, featured prominently during the film's depiction of the ship's final moments, comes with a signed certificate of authenticity.
"Titanic" movie violin up for auction.
This upcoming sale evokes memories of the 2013 auction of the actual violin believed to have been played by Wallace Hartley himself. That historic instrument fetched £900,000 after extensive verification processes confirmed its authenticity. The violin was discovered in 2006 and underwent seven years of meticulous testing, including forensic analysis that revealed salt deposits consistent with immersion in seawater. Experts concluded that it was indeed Hartley's violin.
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The man behind the violin
On April 10, 1912, Hartley boarded the Titanic as the bandleader for an eight-man ensemble tasked with providing musical entertainment in the ship’s luxurious first-class lounges.
When the Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, Hartley and his fellow musicians famously continued to play music in an effort to calm passengers as the evacuation unfolded. Witnesses reported that their final piece was the hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee".
None of the band members survived. Hartley's body was recovered two weeks later by the cable ship Mackay-Bennett. Remarkably, his violin—believed to have been a gift from his fiancée, Maria Robinson—was found strapped in a leather case to his body, preserved by the icy North Atlantic waters.
You can watch the scene from the 1997 film "Titanic" depicting the musicans playing as the famed ship sank:
The auction of Titanic historic artifacts will take place on April 26th. More information can be found here.
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