Titanic never seems to go out of style. The 112-year-old shipwreck continues to make headlines around the world, and props from filming and memorabilia from passengers are constantly selling for exorbitant sums at auctions.
Controversial “Titanic” sold for a shocking amount
In late March, I got it The controversial “Titanic” door from the blockbuster movie has a new owner. The price of the most famous door in the world reached $ 718,750 – the equivalent of 7.9 million Norwegian kroner.
New record
Last November, someone spent £83,000 – more than NOK 1.1 million – to secure the dinner menu from April 11, 1912, which was served to first class passengers.
He now writes that the gold pocket watch has broken all previous records Sky News.
“JJA”: Gold watch engraved with John Jacob Astor's initials. Image: Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd
Show more
The watch is said to have been owned by the richest person on the ship, John Jacob Astor (47), and was sold by auction house Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd of Devizes in Wiltshire, USA.
Newlyweds: John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Astor were married in 1911. They booked tickets for “Titanic” on their way home from their honeymoon. Photo: REX/NTB
Show more
The watch, bearing the initials JJA, was expected to sell for between £100,000 and £150,000. But by all accounts, it was a race against the clock, with the winning bid eventually ending up at a staggering £1.175 million.
This corresponds to approximately NOK 16.2 million at today's exchange rate. Buyer must be a private collector.
“surprising”
The Astor gold watch thus beat the record set in 2013, when the Titanic violin was sold for £1.1 million.
The violin is said to have belonged to the English violinist Wallace Hartley, who was the bandleader on board the RMS Titanic. He played with the orchestra on the upper deck until the ship sank into the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Previous record: The violin is said to have belonged to Wallace Hartley. Picture: Corinne Messer/Bournemouth News/NTB
Show more
Andrew Aldridge, of auction house Henry Aldridge & Son, told Sky News the sale of the watches was “absolutely incredible”.
– 112 years later, we're still talking about the ship, the passengers and the crew. The price not only reflects the importance and rarity of the piece itself, but also demonstrates the enduring fascination with the Titanic.
A billionaire reveals: He will build “Titanic 2”
Moreover, Aldridge believes that more important than the ship itself were the 2,200 passengers on board.
Every man, every woman and every child has a story. These various objects and memorabilia continue to tell its story to this day.
He was born after the shipwreck
The original owner of the gold watch, John Jacob Astor, stepped aboard the Titanic on April 15, 1912, after helping his pregnant 18-year-old wife, Madeleine Astor, onto a lifeboat.
According to Sky News, the 47-year-old was last seen smoking a cigarette on deck, while speaking to other passengers.
From the movie: Eric Braeden and Charlotte Chatton portray the Astor couple in the 1997 film. Photo: 20th Century Fox/Paramount
Show more
Astor's remains, along with the gold watch, were found in the Atlantic Ocean seven days after the sinking. When the Titanic sank, he was believed to be one of the richest people in the world. In 1912, the Astor was said to be good for $87 million.
Madeleine Astor gave birth to the couple's only child, John Jacob Astor VI, four months later.
In the 1997 Oscar-winning film “Titanic,” John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Astor were played by actors Eric Braeden and Charlotte Chatton.
“Coffee trailblazer. Certified pop culture lover. Infuriatingly humble gamer.”
