dailyloe.com – The personal effects of Titanic’s wealthiest victim are heading to auction this month, with a gold pocket watch expected to sell for up to $500,000. The items belonged to first-class passenger John Jacob Astor IV, who perished after helping his pregnant wife into a lifeboat. His body was recovered days after the ship sank in April 1912.
Found with Astor were gold cuff links, cash, a diamond ring, and a gold pencil case. The pocket watch and pencil case were returned to his son, Vincent, and remained with the family. Now, auction house Freeman’s is selling these historic artifacts to the highest bidder.
The gold pencil case carries an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000. The 18-karat yellow gold pocket watch, however, is valued between $300,000 and $500,000. Reginald Brack of Freeman’s calls them powerful personal artifacts connected to the Titanic.
Astor purchased the watch in 1904 from Tiffany & Co. in New York City. It was manufactured by the Swiss luxury watch company Patek Philippe. The backside is engraved with Astor’s personal monogram.
“This single object unites four extraordinary names—Astor, Patek Philippe, Tiffany and Titanic,” Brack told Bloomberg. He stated it holds a particular place in American luxury and Titanic history. This makes it a prime item for historical collectors.
John Jacob Astor IV was 47 years old and worth over $80 million when he boarded. He was the wealthiest person aboard the doomed ocean liner. His personal effects offer a tangible link to the 1912 maritime disaster.[]
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
