John Jacob Astor was the richest man aboard the Titanic when the ship struck an iceberg and sank in 1912. Seven days after the sinking, Astor’s body was found floating in the sea. At the time, a pocket watch was found on him.
This Saturday (27), the watch should be auctioned in the city of Devizes, England. Henry Aldridge & Son auction house organizing the sale.
According to the English media, it is estimated that the watch must be sold for between 100,000 and 150,000 pounds (from R$640,000 to R$958,000at the current price).
The watch is made of 14 carat gold and is engraved with JJA (by John Jacob Astor).
Who was John Jacob Astor
In a report in the English newspaper “The Guardian”, auctioneer Andrew Aldridge stated that Astor was not only the richest passenger on board the Titanic, but also one of the richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth of around US$87. million – the equivalent of billions of dollars today.
He was the great-grandson of a man who became wealthy from the fur trade in the 19th century.
Aldridge also said that when the Titanic hit the iceberg at around 11:40 p.m., Astor did not think the risk was serious.
When the millionaire realized that the danger was real and people began to be removed from the ship, Astor helped the woman board a lifeboat. He was last seen smoking and talking to another passenger.
Astor’s wife, who was pregnant, survived.
Astor’s son, Vincent, initially kept the watch, but later gave it as a gift to the executive secretary who worked with his father, William Dobbyn.
The auctioneer claims that the clock has been restored and that it is an important item linked to the history of “the most famous ship in the world”.
In April 1912, the Titanic made its maiden voyage. The ship left the port of Southampton to cross the Atlantic Ocean and arrive in New York — which never happened.
On the night of April 14, 1912, an iceberg 125 meters long hit the ship.
Three hours later, the Titanic had already sunk. More than 1,500 people died. The remains of the boat are at a depth of around 3,800 meters.
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