A gold watch that was given to Captain Arthur Rostron, who captained the Carpathia ship that rescued passengers from the Titanic disaster, has been sold for a staggering £1.56m. The 18-carat Tiffany & Co pocket watch was a gift from three widows of wealthy businessmen who perished in the Titanic tragedy.
Captain Rostron’s quick thinking and heroic actions helped save numerous passengers from the sinking Titanic, including the three widows who later gifted him the watch. The auction for the timepiece took place in Wiltshire, where a private collector from the US purchased it for a record-breaking price, making it the highest fee ever paid for Titanic memorabilia.
This sale broke the previous record set in April, where another gold pocket watch recovered from the body of John Jacob Astor, the richest man on the Titanic, was sold for £1.175m. Mr. Astor tragically lost his life during the disaster while ensuring the safety of his new wife, Madeleine, who boarded a lifeboat.
The inscription on Captain Rostron’s 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.” This inscription highlights the gratitude towards Captain Rostron for his bravery in saving lives during the Titanic tragedy.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge emphasized the significance of the watch, stating that it was a token of appreciation for Captain Rostron’s courageous efforts that saved many lives that would have otherwise been lost. The watch’s sale price surpassed the previous record set by the violin played on the sinking Titanic, which was sold for £1.1m in 2013.
The Titanic disaster remains one of the most tragic maritime events in history, resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives out of the approximately 2,200 passengers on board. With only 705 survivors, the heroic actions of individuals like Captain Rostron played a crucial role in saving as many lives as possible during this catastrophic event.
