Violin from the Film "Titanic" to be Auctioned

The instrument is estimated to fetch around £60,000

The British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son has announced that it will auction the violin played by actor and violinist Jonathan Evans-Jones in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic.

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.

Evans-Jones's violin will come with a signed certificate of authenticity and is set to be auctioned on April 26, 2025.

"Having sold the original violin that was played by Wallace Hartley when the Titanic sank, we are delighted to offer the violin that was played in James Cameron's movie for auction, one of the highest-grossing movies of all time," said Andrew Aldridge, the auctioneer.

"This is a true piece of movie history that will appeal to both Titanic and movie memorabilia collectors - it's a true cross-collectible."