Hi Chris / Daniel
This may answer your questions.
(apologies for the capital letters)
LOT 245
R.M.S. TITANIC: COL. J.J. ASTOR - JAN 1911 CORRECTED MARCH 1911 WHITE STAR LINE R.M.S. OLYMPIC PLAN OF 1st CLASS ACCOMMODATION, PENCIL NOTATIONS RECORD-HOLDING SUITES C75-77 800.00 U.S DOLLARS. VALET ROBINS E52-1 MAID C3-107 AND C99 175.00 U.S DOLLARS CORRECTED TO 180 U.S DOLLARS. BELIEVED TO BE THE HAND OF W. DOBBYN PERSONAL SECRETARY TO JOHN JACOB ASTOR 1907-1912.
SHOWING THE CABINS WHERE THE ASTORS AND THEIR STAFF WERE ACCOMMODATED. A SECOND HAND NOTES THE SAILING DATE, JAN 27 CORRECTED 24th/12 NY TO PARIS FEB 3rd. THIS NOTATION IS BELIEVED TO BE THE HAND OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ALMOST CERTAINLY THE ASTORS HONEYMOON TRIP THE OUTBOUND LEG TO EUROPE OF WHICH THE TITANIC WAS THE INBOUND LEG (AFTER CUTTING SHORT THEIR TRIP BECAUSE OF MRS ASTORS PREGNANCY). NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE 24th JAN 1912 CONFIRMS MR & MRS ASTOR LEFT FOR ENGLAND FOR THEIR FIRST TRIP ABROAD TOGETHER AFTER THEIR MARRIAGE. THIS ACCOMMODATION PLAN IS POSSIBLY THE RAREST TITANIC RELATED ITEM TO COME TO THE MARKET, IN RECENT YEARS CONFIRMS TITANIC’S WEALTHIEST PASSENGER SAILED ON HER SISTER OLYMPIC — THE ARTEFACT IS IN A FRAGILE CONDITION DUE TO ITS AGE AND ORIGINAL PAPER CONSTRUCTION. PROVENANCE XW DOBBYN ARCHIVE (THE DISCOVERY OF THIS ARTEFACT IS MADE ALL THE MORE INCREDIBLE BY ITS HISTORY. THE DESCENDANTS OF W. DOBBYN MOVED HOUSE AND THIS AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS WERE LEFT BEHIND. THE NEW OWNER OF THE PROPERTY INSTRUCTED A CLEARER TO REMOVE ALL THE OLD PAPERWORK AND RUBBISH FROM THE CELLAR AND TAKE IT TO A RUBBISH DUMP. THE GARBAGE MAN WAS INTERCEPTED ON ROUTE AND THE VARIOUS ITEMS OF PAPER WERE PURCHASED BY A COLLECTOR. 2 YEARS LATER THEY WERE SOLD IN AN AMERICAN AUCTION HOUSE AND PURCHASED BY A U.K. COLLECTOR WHO ASKED HENRY ALDRIDGE TO RESEARCH THEM AND ITS IMPORTANT DISCOVERY WAS MADE.
Neal
