In a record-breaking auction, a pocket watch gifted to the captain who rescued hundreds of Titanic survivors has been sold for a £1.56 million. The gold watch, once owned by Captain Arthur Rostron of the RMS Carpathia, was purchased by a private collector in the US at an auction held by Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wiltshire.
This sale marks the highest price ever paid for a piece of Titanic memorabilia. It surpasses the previous record set in April, when a gold pocket watch belonging to Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor sold for £1.175 million.
Confirming the sale, Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd made a social media post and said, “What an amazing day, the highlight of today’s auction was the sale of the Rostron Tiffany Watch, it sold for a premium inclusive £1.567m a new world record price for Titanic memorabilia.”
Captain Rostron received the 18-carat Tiffany & Co timepiece from three grateful women he rescued: John B Thayer, John Jacob Astor, and George D Widener. The inscription on the watch reads, “Presented to Captain Rostron with the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of three survivors of the Titanic April 15th 1912 Mrs John B Thayer, Mrs John Jacob Astor and Mrs George D Widener”. The Carpathia, under Rostron’s command, rescued 705 survivors from the Titanic’s lifeboats.
“It was presented principally in gratitude for Rostron’s bravery in saving those lives, because without Mr Rostron, those 700 people wouldn’t have made it,” said auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, according to the Guardian reports.
Noting the continuing fascination with the Titanic tragedy and its artifacts, Aldridge pointed out an “ever-decreasing supply and an ever-increasing demand” for such items, leading to rapidly rising prices. IBefore this year’s record breaking auctions, the violin played as the cruise sank sold for £1.1 million in 2013, held the record for the highest amount paid for Titanic artefacts.