Sold at Bellmans – A Chair from RMS Olympic

Sold at Bellmans – A Chair from RMS Olympic

Hammer Price: £1,500

20/02/2026     General News, Latest News, Furniture

A Sister to Titanic

The RMS Olympic was the older sister of the RMS Titanic, both built for the White Star Line. Unlike Titanic, Olympic had a long working life, serving on the transatlantic route and later as a troopship during the First World War before being retired in 1935.

When the ship was broken up, many of her fittings were sold off. Over the years, pieces have surfaced in private collections and museums, giving collectors the chance to own something genuinely connected to this remarkable liner.

 

The Chair

RMS OLYMPIC; A SECOND CLASS CARVED MAHOGANY SHIP'S DESK CHAIR
On lion’s head cast iron base
57cm wide; 91cm high

This example had the solid, practical feel you’d expect from shipboard furniture. The carved mahogany back and seat sit on a heavy cast iron swivel base with a lion’s head detail — built to withstand life at sea rather than simply look impressive.

There were no stamps to the underside, but a comparable example can be seen on the Titanic Museum website, which helps support the attribution.

 

Why Pieces Like This Appeal

Olympic material has a strong following. It offers a direct link to the same shipyard, designers and era as Titanic — but with its own long and fascinating story.

At £1,500, this chair found a new home with someone clearly drawn to that connection. It’s always interesting to see which historic pieces capture bidders’ attention — and this one certainly did.

 

Visit our Instagram page to see what our furniture specialist Will Pasfield has to say about this chair. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUdDe7LjTnB/

 

View this lot in our Catalogue