They were the epitome of upper-class lifestyle and high society, clamoring for international prestige with majestic design and cutting-edge technology.  Their decks saw the likes of the Astors, the Guggenheims, and the Strausses, which made them more than mere vessels.  From the R.M.S. Titanic to the S.S. Normandie, the world's most famous ships represented the power, beauty and imagination of their countries and the companies that designed them.  Now, lucky landlubbers can bid on their bounty at Christie's Annual Ocean Liner Auction on Thursday, June 28th.

Though the Titanic's items are likely to be the most popular among history buffs -- there is a hand-written personal account of a third-class passenger watching the lights of the ship go out, and a log book from the second rescue ship to arrive on the scene -- Christie's offers a range of maritime memorabilia to suit the taste of any collector. A world tour without the jet lag, there is furniture, silverware and interior design decorative panels reflecting the various styles of the French, Italian and American-made ships. Taken from the Grand Salon of the S.S. Normandie, a pair of Jean Rothschild side chairs depict the art-deco style of design popular in 1930s France and are expected to bring as much as $30,000.  The S.S. United States offers more modern fare, particularly in the furniture of the Kenneth C. Schultz Collection.

Yet the most spectacular items are the decorative panel pieces of the Italian ships.  These large hanging murals -- such as the Emanuele Luzzati Ceramic Ensemble from the S.S. Stella Solaris -- recall the Mediterranean, and the Greek and Turkish ports they frequented. Like most of the Luzzati pieces on the ship, they represent Greek mythological scenes, mainly from The Odyssey and The Iliad, while the Brass Bacchanalia panels appear downright ancient Egyptian. All of these items are expected to sell for more than $10,000.

Alongside salt-kissed remains are the works of great artists such as Fred Pansing, Albert Sebille and Albert Brenet who depicted the ships in their prime.  Sebille's exquisite Normandie, at Midnight on the Atlantic (at right) is expected to draw between $10,000 and $15,000.

As Gregg Dietrich, Christie's Ocean Liner Expert, says, "These ships were The Concords of the past."  Though their time has passed, it is impossible to deny the allure of these great mammoths of maritime engineering.

-- WILL REITER