Auction house hits back in row over sale of gold pocket watch recovered from the body of the richest man on the Titanic for £1million - as fans claim it 'should be in a museum'

Titanic enthusiasts have expressed concern after the pocket watch of the richest man on the ship - recovered when his body was fished out of the Atlantic seven days after the tragedy - was sold for a record-breaking £1.175 million this month. 

The timepiece belonged to John Jacob Astor IV, a hotelier who was worth £55 million – about £7 billion today – who was among more than 1,500 people who died when the ship struck an iceberg in the early hours of April 15, 19772.   

His 14-carat gold Waltham watch was sold at Henry Aldridge & Son auction house in Wiltshire for a record-breaking £1.175 million, six times the guide price, matching the record paid for a Titanic artifact – the violin played by bandmaster Wallace Hartley.

The sale has led to criticism on social media, with amateur historians taking to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the sale, claiming that the piece belonging to Mr Astor should be displayed in a museum.

However, the auction house has said that it's a misunderstanding to assume that such artefacts end up in private collections, with many going on display in museums around the world. 

Users have slammed the sale of the gold pocket watch (pictured) recovered from the body of the richest man on the Titanic, adding that it should be displayed in a museum 

John Jacob Astor IV left $69million of his $85million estate, equivalent to approximately $2.6billion in 2022, to his eldest son William Vincent Astor (right) who became the richest man in America

Mr Astor drowned after helping his pregnant wife Madeleine into a lifeboat, 

His body was recovered from the North Atlantic seven days later dressed in a blue suit and brown flannel shirt. He was later identified by the initials 'JJA' engraved on the watch and sewn onto his jacket.

In response to the sale of the pocket watch, commenters have taken to X to express their concerns. One said: 'Either a museum or back to the descendants. No other option.'

The preservation group Titanic Memorial Lighthouse wrote: 'We are increasingly uneasy with the auctioning of recovered Titanic family artifacts. We hope John Jacob Astor's watch now finds its way to a museum and not into the hands of a private collector never to be seen again.'

A number of social media users took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their concern with the sale, claiming that the watch should be displayed in a museum 

When MailOnline contacted Henry Aldridge & Son for comment, a spokesperson pointed out that only 'an extremely small number of individuals', have objected to the sale. 

'The fact of the matter is many of these items end up in museums at some point after being purchased.

'In fact, all you have to do is look at Titanic Belfast where a large number of pieces from Titanic we have auctioned are on exhibition. The world’s largest Titanic museums in Branson and Pigeon Forge TN have literally hundreds of items from Titanic and her passengers and crew on exhibition - a large number having been sold at auction.

'These pieces are bought by collectors and then put on show. It’s completely inaccurate to say that all these items disappear into private collections and are never seen again. In many cases it’s totally the opposite.'

However, some on social media have not taken this into account, with another writing: 'So sad. Should have become a museum piece for all to see and wonder at, rather than some rich person's thing. Titanic is still a grave, even after 100 years.'

Similarly, another said: 'A fine example of materialism prevailing over sentimental value. The pursuit of riches never fails to captivate the mind, even amidst historical tragedies.'

A fifth added: 'Honestly I don't get owning things just for bragging rights.' Another wrote: 'A museum or back to the family should be exactly where it goes.'

'Either it belongs in a museum or it goes back to the descendants. No ifs ands or buts about it,' said another.

Adding to the debate, another wrote: 'That's unbelievable. The things people are willing to pay for.'

Also on sale was the violin case belonging to Mr Hartley, which was snapped up for £290,000. 

John Jacob Astor IV was famously depicted in the 1997 James Cameron film Titanic and was played by actor Eric Braeden. 

It is not known what condition the watch was in at the time but it would have stopped working at 2.20am - the moment the Titanic and Astor disappeared into the Atlantic.

Vincent Astor had the watch restored and repaired and wore it until 1935 when he gifted it to his godson, William Dobbyn. Dobbyn's father, also called William, had been Astor's executive secretary and was also close to Vincent. 

The Dobbyn family sold it to a collector in the 1990s. 

Since then it has been displayed at various museums including the National Geographic Exhibition in Washington DC and Titanic Museum 'The World's Largest Titanic Attraction' in Missouri, US.

It was accompanied by a signed affidavit from William Dobbyn Snr's daughter-in-law confirming it has been a gift to her husband from Vincent. 

It adds that Vincent informed him the watch was carried by his father when he perished in the sinking of the Titanic.

The impeccably-dressed businessman was last seen smoking a cigarette on the starboard wing of the bridge wing chatting to a fellow first class passenger before he died.

John Jacob Astor IV and his new wife Madeleine, from an image taken shortly before they traveled on the RMS Titanic

Astor's body was recovered from the north Atlantic seven days later dressed in a blue suit and brown flannel shirt

John Jacob Astor's descendants grew their wealth for generations, buying much of the land New York City is built on

The Titanic leaving Southampton on her ill-fated maiden voyage on April 10, 1912

Along with the watch there is a pair of gold cufflinks owned by Astor and his plan of the Titanic's first class accommodation.

The foldable 30ins by 40ins document was used by William Dobbyn in Paris to plan the Astors' trip and confirm the staterooms they were in.

The suites C74 and C76 are circled in pencil with the notation $1225.00 Apr 10 From Cherbourg. Other handwritten notes on it include 'Paris office hold these rooms for Col A.' It is valued at £30,000.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: 'The watch is one of the most remarkable items of Titanic memorabilia we have come across.

'It is an exquisite timepiece that is in superb condition which is unsurprising considering who its original owner was.

'Yet it spent seven days in the freezing water of the Atlantic in the aftermath of the disaster and would almost certainly have stopped working and suffered all sorts of damage.

'It was obviously of great sentimental value to Vincent Astor who had it restored and wore it for the next 23 years.

'It is a unique part of the Titanic story and one of the most important pieces of horological history relating to the most famous ship in the world.'

Astor's marriage to 18-year-old Madeleine had created controversy in New York, coming soon after he divorced his wife, Ava, the mother of his two sons.

Along with the watch there is a pair of gold cufflinks owned by Astor and his plan of first class accommodation on Titanic (pictured)

The watch, which sold for a whopping £1.175 million, belonged to business magnate John Jacob Astor

To get away from the scandal and gossip the newlyweds they took an extended honeymoon to Europe and Africa.

After the Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912, Astor did not think he or his family were in any immediate danger.

He was warned about the seriousness of the situation personally by Edward Smith, the captain of Titanic, and saw Madeleine into lifeboat four.

Astor asked if he could join her because she was in 'a delicate condition' but he was told no men were allowed to board until all women and children had been loaded.

As well as Astor, fellow millionaire passengers Isador Strauss and Benjamin Guggenheim were unable to get a place on the lifeboats despite their wealth and died.

Madeleine Astor was five months pregnant at the time. She gave birth to a son on August 14, 1912, and called him John Jacob Astor V in memory of her husband and the boy's father.