Ship's Chairs from the RMS Olympic

This beautifully crafted pair of mahogany ship's chairs represent a glamorous time in nautical history. They were once part of the famed RMS Olympic, the White Star Line's lead ship and older sister of the Titanic. In service for 25 years, the British ocean liner was built in Belfast in 1911; impressive in both size and grandeur, the luxury line attracted global attention, with over 8,000 visitors touring the vessel when she was opened to the public while docked in New York.

These chairs, which were used in the second class dining room, are just one example of the masterfully crafted furniture aboard the ship. Fashioned with iron bases, the seats would have been bolted to the floor in order to fix their positions, while their swivel seat allowed for movement. Crafted of mahogany, they are beautifully carved in the Art Nouveau style and are identical to the chairs that were subsequently used on the Titanic.

The Olympic was in operation until 1935, and unlike her sister ships the Titanic and the Britannic, she avoided serious tragedy during her years of service. She was briefly retrofitted as a troopship during World War I in 1915, becoming the HMT Olympic and successfully sinking a U-boat in the English Channel. After 257 round trips across the Atlantic, she was eventually sold and scrapped between 1935-37.

Circa 1911

23" wide x 21 1/2" deep x 36 1/4" high