Violin Played in the Film "Titanic" Sells for £54k at Auction

The auction also contained a letter by Titanic survivor Colonel Archibald Gracie, which sold for £300,000

The British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son has sold the violin played by actor and violinist Jonathan Evans-Jones in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic for £54,000.

Evans-Jones portrayed bandleader Wallace Hartley, who famously continued to play as the ship sank. The scene features the hymn "Nearer My God To Thee."

The instrument has been owned by a private collector since Evans-Jones sold the violin at auction in 2013.

That same year, a violin that was played during the actual sinking of the Titanic was also sold by the same auction house for £900,000. At the time, it took seven years to authenticate the instrument; several different experts evaluated the violin and forensic scientists noted that the wood still bore traces of salt from the sea water.

The buyer of Evans-Jones's violin also received a signed certificate of authenticity.

The same auction also featured a letter written by Colonel Archibald Gracie, one of the most well-known survivors of the Titanic disaster — and this piece of history sold for £300,000.

"The record-breaking prices and global participation from collectors are a testament to the enduring interest in the Titanic the world over," said auctioneer Andrew Aldridge.

"The stories of those men, women and children are told through the memorabilia and their memories are kept alive through those items."