Hi All,
Was this an unpublished or very scarce or unique photocard? Something made after the disaster in some quantity, or something few or perhaps no one else owns? Original to the period? From a copy negative? I have no idea - I am not aware of who sold it and I make no statement at all against the seller of this photocard etc. I only collect Mauretania so I'd not know. However, I think those questions would be part of the answer to "what it is worth?" The paper and photographers stamp on the back might indicate something too. The copyright status, if not a unique photocard, would be indicated by the age of the print I think. One could interpret the bid history, and bidders, to mean it was not a unique photocard - that this would have been pursued much more strongly and to a higher level if it were. Why weren't there more bids from "heavy hitters"? But then there is the time I bought an early unique photo of Olympic for 25 cents......
Maybe someone will recognize the image or card and will chime in with more data. Image aside, does it share attributes of other vintage, perhaps one-off, photocards from the period? Is it actually Titanic? It seems to say so on the stern, but there are plenty of visual clues I am sure for those that know to find and comment on.
Best,
Eric Longo
PS - I am hard pressed to think of any original photocard I have of Mauretania from before the late 1920's/1930's that has borders so sharp, so even or of that width. Offhand, I'd say most of my unique/low run photocards don't have a border at all, and those that do have uneven or wider borders on one end etc.