A set of three saucers intended for first-class passengers on the RMS Titanic have sold at auction for £46,800.

The Copeland Spode demitasse saucers never made it on board the White Star Line ship, which sank on its maiden voyage on 15 April 1912 with the loss of about 1,500 lives.

The blue, white and gold items bear the gilt monogram for the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company and were put up for sale by a collector in Kent.

Cambridge-based auctioneers, Cheffins, originally estimated they would fetch between £1,000 and £2,000 but a prolific Californian collector of Titanic memorabilia paid more than 20 times that to secure the saucers.

The chinaware is from pattern R4332 and the buyer, Tony Probst, 67, said it was his mission "to try to collect every piece of R4332" he could find.

"So, when the saucers came up at Cheffins, I suppose I really didn't have much choice," he said.

Probst added: "I have a large collection of White Star Line china from all classes and many different patterns, but R4332 is by far the rarest and has always fascinated me.

"No-one seems to know with absolute certainty exactly how this china was used aboard the ships. It is often referred to as the Millionaires' Service, which certainly adds to its mystique."

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Brett Tryner, director at Cheffins, where the saucers were sold on Thursday, said: "These saucers were made especially for first-class passengers on board The Titanic, and for some reason never made it on to the ship.

"We can only assume that some china was kept back in reserve to then top up supplies should there have been breakages en route."

Buyer Probst said he intended to display the latest items to the public, which he does with much of his collection.

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