A controversial plan to auction off artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Titanic must be put on hold, a federal judge ruled Monday, after the U.S. government and preservationists raised concerns about the sale and the company’s care of the artifacts.
RMS Titanic, which holds exclusive salvage rights to the iconic shipwreck, earlier this year proposed auctioning more than 100 items — including gem-studded jewelry, tableware and a bronze cherub that once adorned the vessel’s grand staircase — recovered in a deep-sea expedition decades ago. The company argued that the artifacts it planned to sell were not subject to the court’s jurisdiction.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith in Norfolk rejected the company’s argument, writing any sale would be subject to the court’s approval. She also raised concerns about the condition of RMS Titanic’s collection, citing the company’s “financial difficulties,” and ordered that an inventory of the artifacts and their condition be filed with the court.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opposed the sale, and the proposal drew protests from historians, archaeologists and the French government, which participated in the expedition that recovered some of the artifacts.
NOAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A lawyer for RMS Titanic said in an email that the company would review the ruling and decide its next steps.
Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. Sign up for The 7 newsletter.
The post Auction of over 100 Titanic artifacts is blocked by a federal judge appeared first on Washington Post.
