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A golden pouch watch worn by nan richest rider aboard nan Titanic erstwhile nan ill-fated water liner sank was sold astatine auction connected Saturday for a record-breaking sum of astir $1.5 million.
The timepiece belonged to John Jacob Astor IV, a New York business magnate and existent property developer, and was expected to waste for astir $189,000 astatine auction, according to auction location Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire, England. The watch’s casing is engraved pinch Astor’s initials "JJA."
The 14-carat heirloom, however, ended up trading for a full of $1.485 million, Henry Aldridge and Son told Fox News Digital connected Sunday.
The watch was 1 of respective items recovered from Astor’s assemblage aft nan vessel struck an iceberg and sank connected April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
CONTROVERSIAL 'TITANIC' PROP SELLS FOR OVER $700,000 AT AUCTION
John Jacob Astor IV's golden pouch watch that was recovered from his assemblage aft nan Titanic sank has sold for a grounds full of astir $1.5 million. (Henry Aldridge & Son LTD / Fox News)
Astor, 47, went down pinch nan vessel aft helping his woman Madeleine, who was pregnant, onto a lifeboat.
When Astor was told he could not subordinate his woman until each women and children had boarded lifeboats, Titanic folklore says nan businessman stepped back, lit a last cigaret and tossed his gloves to Madeleine.
New York financier John Jacob Astor IV drowned successful nan Titanic disaster. (Getty / Getty Images)
It is said that Astor past went to fume his cigaret pinch author Jacques Futrelle, who besides died.
After nan watch was recovered from Astor's body, nan auction location said Astor's boy Vincent gave it to nan boy of William Dobbyn, Astor's executive secretary, arsenic a christening gift. The watch was yet returned to nan Astor family and underwent restoration.
RARE TITANIC FIRST-CLASS MENU, POCKET WATCH BELONGING TO VICTIM HIT AUCTION
In summation to Astor’s golden watch, nan auction besides sold Wallace Hartley’s bag, which held nan celebrated Titanic violin that nan bandmaster played arsenic nan vessel sank.
Wallace Hartley’s container held nan violin that nan bandmaster famously played arsenic nan Titanic sank. (Henry Aldridge & Son LTD / Fox News)
The container was initially estimated to waste for astir $150,000. The auction location confirmed that nan relic went for $454,949 astatine auction connected Saturday.
The leather lawsuit was recovered strapped to Hartley’s assemblage erstwhile it was recovered. The violin, nan astir valuable Titanic-related point successful existence, is connected show astatine nan Titanic Belfast Museum.
Plans showing nan layout of nan Titanic that belonged to Astor were besides sold astatine auction. (Henry Aldridge & Son LTD / Fox News)
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Astor’s Titanic plan, showing nan layout of nan water liner, was besides sold, for $37,912.
