(NECN/NBC News: Duncan Golestani, London) - A violin said to have been played as the Titanic slowly sank into the Atlantic was sold on auction on Saturday for more than one million dollars.
Even though it's unplayable, the violin went for a record-setting price.
The violin sold for more than three times more than auctioneers thought it would. This makes the violin the most expensive piece of memorabilia from the doomed liner.
Auctioneers think it's because of the story of bravery that has been imagined in so many movies.
"It represents bravery in human nature, the way this young man and his colleagues and all the people that behaved bravely on the ship, stayed and fulfilled their duty," said principal auctioneer, Alan Aldridge.
The violin belonged to Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster.
He and his musicians kept on playing as the Titanic sank. Their goal was to soothe and calm passengers who were running for lifeboats.
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There is also a love story behind the violin because it was a gift from Wallace’s fiancée.
The plate on the violin reads: "For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement, from Maria."
Of course Wallace never returned to his love. He died along with more than 15,000 others. However, his violin and suitcase were found floating in the water, in remarkably good condition.
