Titanic's Newly Found Bronze 'Diana of Versailles' Statue May Break Records at Auctions—Here's Why

A recent expedition at the Titanic wreckage revealed a bronze statue of Diana of Versailles. The last spotting of the statue was in 1986, when it rested among the debris of the infamous passenger liner that had sunk 112 years ago in the North Atlantic during its maiden voyage. 

This first salvage mission since 2010 in the Titanic was done by a Georgia-based company owning the legal rights to the wreck, RMS Titanic Inc.

What Came with Diana of Versailles Statue in Titanic?

Now, the newly-recovered Diana statue from the Titanic wreckage could outsell the highest-priced artifact ever sold at auction, especially since interest in Titanic memorabilia remains high, according to the ART News. 

Unfortunately, the rediscovery of the statue comes with a sobering revelation: a big chunk of the iconic bow railing that surrounds the ship's forecastle deck has broken off and sunk deeper into the sea floor. RMS Titanic Inc. shared new photographs that show the wreck continues to deteriorate under the ocean's pressure and currents.

In a report by BBC. director of collections for RMS Titanic, Tomasina Ray sees the discovery of Diana's statue in Titanic wreckage as "exciting." However, there are other emotions that came with the recent expedition. "We are saddened by the loss of the iconic bow railing and other evidence of decay, which has only strengthened our commitment to preserving Titanic's legacy," The team spent 20 days at the site, conducting detailed mapping of the wreck and debris field. 

CNN shared that more than 2 million high-resolution images were taken during the mission, offering the clearest view of the Titanic wreck to date.

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Recovered Artifacts in Titanic

RMS Titanic Inc. has committed to sharing all of this new information publicly to help locate those items of historical importance and those most at risk for recovery in the future. 

The company is still committed to preserving the remaining parts of the Titanic, even though the deep-sea environment is very difficult.

In fact, artifacts recovered from the Titanic continue to fetch large sums at auction: 

CBS News learned that a gold pocket watch that belonged to John Jacob Astor, the richest passenger on board, sold earlier this year for £1.18 million ($1.47 million) at a UK auction house. That eclipsed the previous record and best, held by a violin played as the ship sank, which sold for $1.6 million in 2013.

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