A very large section of the Titanic’s aft Grand Staircase, measuring 19 x 2.75, believed to have once been a part of a step, recovered by the Minia and turned by the ship’s carpenter William Parker into a picture frame which he crafted for the Minia’s Chief Officer, James Adams. Piece has six flathead screws around the edges and two small holes to left side. Section is beautifully archivally shadow-boxed and double-matted and framed with a portrait of the staircase and a descriptive plaque to an overall size of 23.5 x 27.5. For years following the disaster in 1912 and following the tragic death of Adams in a train/vehicle collision, this picture frame remained in the family eventually passing into the hands of Gerald T. Mullin, the grandson of James Adams. In the 1990’s the picture frame was publicly displayed as part of a special Titanic exhibition presented by the Vancouver Maritime Museum in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. In August of 1998 the picture frame was dismantled by master woodworker William Ricks of Brandon, Manitoba. Included with this lot is a letter of provenance from noted Titanic collector, researcher, and historian Steve Santini outlining the history of the Parker/Adams picture frame, copies of photographs showing the frame in its original state as displayed at The Vancouver Maritime Museum and during the process of it being disassembled, a copy of the original 1998 artifact release document signed by Gerald T. Mullin and Steve Santini, and photocopies of a Minia crew sign-on sheet which Adams signed as well as a photo of James Adams and the cable ship Minia. Beautifully designed for the first-class passengers on board the Titanic, this preserved artifact is a magnificent reminder of the luxury afforded the wealthy on board. Oversized. RR Auction COA.
