“MotherMartime’s Showstopper”
Scarce Original 1912 T.S.S. Titanic Raphael Tuck Oilette No. 9898 White Star Line Postcard
Issued in the immediate era of the Titanic disaster, this original Raphael Tuck postcard preserves how the celebrated new liner was presented to the public as admiration for Britain’s greatest shipbuilding achievement gave way to shock and mourning.
The front presents Titanic steaming directly toward the viewer beneath the White Star Line flag. The reverse tells the ship’s story in contemporary language—beginning with her May 31, 1911 launch and enormous scale before recording her loss on the maiden voyage.
More than a decorative ship portrait, this postcard is an artifact of how the disaster entered public memory in 1912. Its statement that “over sixteen hundred” people perished reflects an early casualty estimate printed before the final historical accounting had been settled.
Titanic departed Southampton on April 10, 1912, carrying passengers, emigrants, mail, crew, and cargo toward New York. After calls at Cherbourg and Queenstown, she entered the North Atlantic, struck an iceberg late on April 14, and sank during the early hours of April 15. More than 1,500 people died.
The scale of the tragedy transformed international maritime safety. Its aftermath contributed to stronger lifeboat requirements, continuous radio watches, improved emergency procedures, and the creation of an international ice patrol.
RARITY AND IDENTIFICATION
Published by Raphael Tuck & Sons as part of the “Celebrated Liners—White Star Line” series:
* Printed title: T.S.S. “Titanic”
* Series: Celebrated Liners—White Star Line
* Trade designation: Oilette
* Postcard number: 9898
* Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons
* Country of manufacture: England
* Date: Circa 1912
* Postage condition: Unposted
“Oilette” was Raphael Tuck’s designation for its richly colored printed-art postcards. It is not the artist’s name.
Collector references document No. 9898 in Tuck’s 1912–1913 and 1914 postcard catalogues. They also record that Titanic titles and images in this series were subsequently changed to Olympic, making surviving Titanic-captioned examples particularly desirable to Titanic, White Star Line, ocean-liner, and Raphael Tuck collectors.
The reverse uses the publisher’s contemporary “T.S.S. Titanic” styling. RMS Titanic is the name most commonly used today.
This is an original period printed postcard—not a modern reproduction, later commemorative card, real-photo postcard, or original painting.
CONDITION
Very Good antique condition with strong color, light corner and edge wear, and minor surface wear. Unposted, with no stamp, cancellation, address, or correspondence. Light pencil marking on the back. Please review all photographs carefully for the exact condition.
ITEM SPECIFICS
* Unit of Sale: Single Unit
* Number of Items in Set: 1
* Ship Name: RMS Titanic
* Printed Ship Name: T.S.S. Titanic
* Shipping Line: White Star Line
* Subject: RMS Titanic; Ships; Ocean Liners
* Theme: Transportation; Nautical; Maritime History; Disasters
* Type: Printed Art Postcard
* Era: Divided Back, 1907–1915
* Year Manufactured: 1912 — estimated
* Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
* Postage Condition: Unposted
* Brand/Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons
* Series: Celebrated Liners—White Star Line
* Postcard Number: 9898
* Trade Series: Oilette
* Artist: Unknown
* Signed: No
* Features: Divided Back; Printed Historical Caption
* Material: Paper
* Size: Standard
* Approximate Dimensions: 5.5 x 3.5 in
* Country/Region of Manufacture: England, United Kingdom
* Custom Bundle: No
SHIPPING
Free USPS Ground Advantage shipping with tracking, full-value insurance, and signature confirmation.
The postcard will be placed in an archival protective sleeve between rigid card supports and shipped inside a sturdy Do Not Bend mailer.
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