Details of furniture and fixtures

[Harland Duzen]

So to clarify:

Olympic: Green Chairs
Titanic: Red Chairs
Britannic: Red & Green Chairs?

Unfortunately, we can't be certain, but as Titanic Honor & Glory team said in their Britannic Video:

''...Third Class was given new entrances, Second Class would be given the luxury of their very own gymnasium. First Class Passengers would enjoy many new improvements. These included a larger A La Carte Restaurant and new Reception Room on B Deck, where the elite passengers would dine in unparalleled style. A Playroom, where children could play instead of using one of the Palm Courts on Olympic and Titanic. A lady's hair dresser salon, in addition to the Barber Shop. New Sitting Rooms were added on C-Deck as a result of the Pallor Suites having proved so popular on Olympic and Titanic. Keeping up with transient expectations, First Class would see the addition of many private bathrooms and washrooms for cabins. Although basic on Olympic and Titanic, the swimming pool on Britannic was to be completely redecorated to keep up with the trend of sumptuous swimming baths on German liners. Even the already luxurious spaces of the Grand Staircase were also improved. The Boat and A-Deck were modified to accommodate a Welt Pipe Organ...''

Daniel Klistorner, Titanic Historian, speaking in HMHS BRITANNIC SINKS - REAL TIME DOCUMENTARY
26th November 2016

Given all these improvements listed above in bold, it's evident they combined features from both previous vessels in the nautical version of Darwinian evolution: ''Only the most luxurious would survive''. Why not have both Red and Green Chairs?

 

[Damon Hill]

I find it super odd that of all the witness testimony nothing ever came up about the decor of the Titanic and how it differed from the Olympic. I mean obv. this wasn't a concern in the initial years of investigating the disaster, but surely years down the road people would've been curious and asked the survivors?

For example, the floor tile colors or the upholstery in the 1st class smoking room... there doesn't seem to be a definite answer to what color these thingw were though I believe the idea is they were blue and red (in the smoking room) which would then negate the often shown colors from the Olympic. But why was this a mystery? Surely SOMEONE was in those rooms and remembered? With such grandeur and the disaster you'd think those details would be burned in your memory.

Does anyone have an answer to this?

I guess we could liken it a bit to the World Trade Center. In the immediate aftermath of that awful day, did anyone wonder what colour the chairs were in the Windows on the World restaurant? Did anyone wonder what, if any, picture or poster was on the eastern wall of the central core on the 37th floor? peoples initial concerns are safety and survival and then comes remembrance. most people are not very observant either I'm afraind

 

[JJAstorII]

I think you make a very valid point indeed. But to play devils advocate... I feel the focus of Titanic and the Olympic class ship in general was their luxury and design vs the World Trade Center which was business and commerce and being one of the largest buildings at the time. Since Titanic was on her maiden voyage and everything was brand new I feel people would focus on the decor and detailing and how it was different from her sister ship Olympic. Idk that’s just me I suppose, I’m a details person.

 

[SmileyGirl]

In terms of why Titanic: Honor & Glory went for Red upholstery was that the ships had different colours themes. The team theorise that Olympic was given a green theme (hence all surviving photos show green chairs) while Titanic had a red theme.

I assumed the chairs were green like Olympic. Is there any evidence that they were red?

 

[Eastwest420]

I have a chair that has the following label on the bottom:

ROBERT WATSON & CO., Ltd.
90, 92 & 94 DONEGALL St.
BELFAST.

it’s been affixed by two small nails on either side.

It also has the following carved into the bottom:

Rd No 629947

any ideas what this is?

 

[Eastwest420]

I found a chair at a thrift shop in NY that has a label on the bottom:

Robert & Watson Co., LTD
90, 92 & 94 Donegall St.
BELFAST

The letters and numbers
Rd No 629947 are carved into the bottom too

Any ideas what this is?

 

[Kather]

I have a chair that has the following label on the bottom:

ROBERT WATSON & CO., Ltd.
90, 92 & 94 DONEGALL St.
BELFAST.

it’s been affixed by two small nails on either side.

It also has the following carved into the bottom:

Rd No 629947

any ideas what this is?

Robert Watson was my great grandfather. His company made furniture and mattresses. Story is the company made the mattresses for the second class beds on the Titanic. The company was established in 1858 when he moved from Glasgow, Scotland to Belfast.