DETROIT (WXYZ) — A piece of Great Lakes maritime history is hitting the auction block this weekend at DuMouchelles in Detroit, offering collectors a rare opportunity to own artifacts from one of the most famous shipwrecks in the region's history.
An orange life ring marked "S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald" and a wooden plank believed to be from lifeboat number one are being auctioned after spending decades on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The artifacts were found along the shores of Lake Superior just eight days after the freighter sank during a storm on Nov. 10, 1975, claiming all 29 lives on board.
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The rarity of these items has drawn significant attention from maritime history enthusiasts and potential bidders.
"This is always something that a museum would be picking up, and to be in a public auction is really quite unique," said Rich Williams, a bidder who traveled from Grand Rapids to view the artifacts.
Roger Wensen from Detroit expressed surprise that such historically significant items would be sold privately.
"You'd think something like that would have been put into a museum or something," Wensen said.
Robert DuMouchelle, auctioneer and general manager of DuMouchelle's, emphasized the historical significance of the pieces.
"It's a part of maritime history, U.S. history," DuMouchelle said.
The seller is 77-year-old Larry Orr, who discovered the life ring on his 27th birthday. The memory of finding the artifact remains vivid for him decades later.
"It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and it still does to this day," Orr said.
Despite selling the artifacts, Orr hopes they will eventually return to public display for future generations to appreciate.
"Ideally, I would like to see someone purchase it and loan it back, ideally to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point," Orr said.
The historic Edmund Fitzgerald artifacts are starting with a bid of $11,250. Williams noted the extreme rarity of such items in private hands.
"From what I am aware of, there's only one other private firm, if you will, private interest that has a life ring," Williams said.
Williams, who has a passion for maritime history — particularly the Edmund Fitzgerald — plans to bid on the life ring with specific intentions for its future.
"It will likely be in my office and at some point in the future donate it to a museum," Williams said.
The life ring will remain on display through the weekend, with the auction beginning Friday, Dec. 19, through DuMouchelles both in person and online.
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