LOOK: Item from Titanic shipwreck sold for R27-million, breaks records
How much would you be willing to pay to own a piece of history?
The story of the Titanic might be iconic, but it is, most importantly, very tragic.
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On the night the ship sank, hundreds died and even as recently as 2023, a group of adventurers lost their lives in an attempt to dive down to the sunken vessel.
Over the decades since its accident, many people have argued that it should just be left alone.
That hasn't stopped collectors, museums, and fanatics from trying to get their hands on pieces of the wreck.
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Most recently a golden pocket watch from one of the ship's richest passengers has been sold at auction, breaking records.
According to Aljazeera, the watch was engraved with the initials JJA and belonged to the United States-based business magnate John Jacob Astor.
The pocket watch was sold by auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son and the presale estimate was set between £100,000 and £150,000.
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However, the bidding war was won by a US buyer who ended up paying a massive £1.17-million (estimated R27.4-million) for the timepiece.
This amount is a record sum that has been reached for an object from the 1912 disaster.
Here is a picture of the watch:
A used first class menu from the first night on the Titanic sold yesterday at British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son for $100,000.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 12, 2023
A pocket watch found on second class passenger Sinai Kantor sold for $122,000. pic.twitter.com/ynF0UIt7I9
John James Astor was, unfortunately, one of the 1,500 casualties aboard the ship and is reported as having died after having helped his wife Madeleine onto one of the lifeboats.
She survived and her husband's body was found a week later.
The watch was also recovered, returned to the family and worn by his son.
Other pieces from the Titanic that have been sold at auction include another watch which was sold for £97,000 and a rare menu from the first class restaurant that sold for £83,000.
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Main image courtesy of @thetitaniconline/Facebook