A valuable gold pocket watch that belonged to John Jacob Astor, the wealthiest passenger on the Titanic, recently sold for an astounding £900,000.
This amount greatly surpassed the estimated value of £150,000 at the Wiltshire auction.
With the inclusion of taxes and fees, the final cost for the buyer amounted to £1.175 million, setting a new world record for the highest amount ever paid for a single item from the ill-fated liner.
The previous record was held by a violin from the Titanic that also fetched £900,000 at auction, ultimately totaling £1.1 million with additional charges. The watch’s sale has now surpassed this figure, solidifying its place in maritime history.
The auction in Devizes featured over 280 lots related to ocean liners, including a violin case belonging to Wallace Hartley, the orchestra leader who played on the deck as the ship sank in 1912. This piece fetched £290,000, or £366,000 with taxes and fees included.
The tragic sinking of the Titanic on its voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912 resulted in the loss of more than 1,500 lives, making it one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history.
The stories of John Jacob Astor and Wallace Hartley, as depicted by their belongings, continue to captivate Titanic enthusiasts and historians alike.
Both Astor’s watch and Hartley’s violin case were recovered from the bodies of their owners and have since become iconic relics of the Titanic. The watch, which was restored and worn by Astor’s son, Vincent, holds a poignant reminder of the passengers’ final moments on the doomed liner.
The auction also included a rare order of service for Wallace Hartley’s funeral, adding another layer of historical significance to the event.
The artifacts from the Titanic serve as a somber reminder of the human stories behind the tragedy and continue to evoke fascination and reflection on the events of that fateful night.
With each sale of Titanic memorabilia, the resilience and generosity of the Titanic community are highlighted, as individuals ensure that these artifacts are preserved and shared for future generations to appreciate.
The enduring legacy of the Titanic remains a powerful symbol of human perseverance and remembrance.
