Letter penned a day before Titanic sank sold at UK auction

This undated photo released by Spink Smythe shows an April 10, 1912-dated letter written on Titanic stationery, by first class passenger Adolphe Saalfeld of England who writes to his wife that he's "the first man to write a letter on board" the famous ship. The historic letter will be offered in a public auction by Spink Smythe in New York City, January 15 - 17, 2009. The letters are expected to sell for $10,000 to $20,000 each.

A letter written by one of the Titanic’s passengers a day before the ship sank has sold for 126,000 pounds ($166,000) at an auction in England.

The handwritten note, on embossed Titanic stationery, was penned by first class passenger Alexander Oskar Holverson on April 13, 1912 the day before the ship hit an iceberg and sank, killing more than 1,500 onboard.

Auction house Henry Aldridge & Son, which specializes in Titanic memorabilia, said Saturday the letter was “the most important Titanic letter we have ever auctioned.”