White Star Line Artifacts Displayed at Maritime

N.S. Museum--White Star Line Artifacts Displayed at Maritime Museum

A new temporary exhibit featuring some rare and unique artifacts from the infamous White Star Line goes on display Saturday, June 1, at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The items are from several ships, including Adriatic, Olympic and Titanic.

All of the items displayed were collected by Cornwall, Ont., resident and White Star enthusiast René Bergeron, who has amassed one of the largest and most impressive White Star Line collections in Canada.

The exhibit comprises nearly 100 objects, including fine examples of china and silver ware used in first, second and steerage classes, cigarette and Cadbury sweet tins featuring White Star insignia on the lids, menus, stationary and a remarkably kitsch letter opener.

Few other collections anywhere in North America include such a wide range of objects representing all classes of passage aboard the grand ocean liners of the era.

Other objects in the exhibit are modest luggage tags, White Star travellers' cheques, a crystal decanter, officers' buttons from around 1912, postcards of Laurentic, Olympic and Adriatic, and a music program from SS Cretic. Of particular note is a floor tile from Titanic intended for a first-class smoking room, but removed from the ship prior to its sailing.

"These objects would be the envy of any collector and we are very pleased to be able to show them," said museum director Michael Murray. "I feel it is significant when private collectors show such an avid interest in sharing their passion with the public. Clearly this is a shared stewardship of our heritage."

Mr. Bergeron's collection nicely complements not only the museum's exhibit on White Star's Titanic, but the Cunard Exhibit as well.

The Cunard Line is showcased in the museum's Age of Steam Gallery. The Cunard Line, founded by Haligonian Samuel Cunard, was the first and longest-surviving successful ocean liner company in the world and builder of legends such as Queen Elizabeth and Aquitania.

The White Star Line, most famous for disasters like Titanic and the SS Atlantic, was noted in its time for luxury and innovation.

The White Star Line: The René Bergeron Collection opens at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, and runs through Oct. 31. Admission to the exhibit is included in the regular cost of a day or season pass to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. For public hours and rates of admission, call the museum at 902-424-7490 or visit their Web site at www.maritime.museum.gov.ns.ca .