A life ring and a piece of a lifeboat from the Edmund Fitzgerald fetched $150,000 at a Detroit auction, a month after the ship’s 50th-anniversary remembrance.
The auction, held on Friday, brought the relics to a new owner for a record $150,000.
The items include a life ring and a wooden piece from a lifeboat that survived the 1975 sinking of the ore carrier.
A carpenter discovered the artifacts in 1975 along the shore of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, eight days after the “Fitz” went down.
Larry Orr, 77, who had owned the items for decades, was the first to find them during a break from work.
“I’m dumbfounded,” longtime owner Larry Orr, 77, said. “I never believed in a million years it would go for that much money. Shocked.”
DuMouchelles, a Detroit auction house and art gallery, handled the sale.
The gallery sits a block away from Mariners’ Church, where a bell tolls on each anniversary of the sinking.
The bell’s toll has become a solemn reminder of the tragedy that claimed 29 men.
Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot immortalized the wreck in 1976 with the ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
For decades Orr allowed a Michigan museum to display the relics, preserving the memory for visitors.
He decided to sell because he needed money for personal reasons.
Earlier, Orr had agreed to give the items to the state of Michigan as part of a $600,000 settlement in an unrelated misconduct lawsuit against state police.
After The Associated Press reported on the arrangement, the state agreed to return the artifacts to Orr.
Orr’s settlement amount remained unchanged despite the return of the relics.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was an ore carrier that sank in Lake Superior during a tremendous storm.
The ship plunged 535 feet (163 meters) to the lake bottom, with no survivors among the 29 crew members.
The sinking marked the largest loss of life on a U.S. Great Lakes vessel.
The life ring and lifeboat piece survived the descent and were found intact.
The auction attracted collectors interested in maritime history and Lake Superior lore.
The buyer’s identity was not disclosed, keeping the transaction private.
DuMouchelles has a reputation for handling unique and historic items.
Orr expressed disbelief at the final bid, noting the price exceeded his expectations.
The sale underscores the enduring fascination with the Edmund Fitzgerald’s story.
Key Takeaways
- The relics sold for $150,000, a record for items from the wreck.
- The buyer’s identity remains undisclosed, and the sale took place a month after the 50th anniversary.
- Orr had previously agreed to give the artifacts to Michigan in a $600,000 settlement, but the state returned them after AP coverage.
The auction highlights how artifacts from the Edmund Fitzgerald continue to capture public interest and command significant value, even decades after the tragedy.
