Tag Archives: Mrs. John Jacob Astor

John Jacob Astor’s watch was being peddled to Titanic II partiers; was it a hoax like the violin?

John Jacob Astor and his teenage bride in New York prior to their fateful voyage.

John Jacob Astor and his teenage bride in New York prior to their fateful voyage.

Another Titanic Hoax?
From the Gothamist

Convicted mother looter Anthony Marshall is still appealing his one-to-three year prison sentence. And in the meantime? He’s reportedly busy hawking family heirlooms of questionable provenance at parties for the greatest cruise ship of our time, the Titanic II. Brooke would not be amused!

It seems that Marshall and his wife Charlene attended a gala for the we-still-can’t-believe-this-is-really-happening Titanic II cruise ship last month and while there showed off some of the family jewels. Charlene reportedly wore some of Brooke’s baubles and Marshall, 88, was apparently flashing a watch he claims that John Jacob Astor IV wore when he died on the original Titanic in 1912. Only problem? Somebody else owns that particular watch! And he didn’t loan it to Tony.

John Miottel, “a real-estate magnate who collects luxury ocean-liner memorabilia,” says he bought the watch in 1997 and has all the documentation to prove it. “The watch was purchased in 1907 and carried by Mr. Astor, and we have an affidavit on its history. When the ship went down, Astor went into the water and two weeks later, they recovered his body and the personal effects were taken off the victims and put in canvas bags,” Miottel told the Post before showing documents confirming he bought the watch, which had previously left the Astor family, from Brunk Auctions in Asheville, NC.

Charlene Marshall, for her part, told the Post that Miottel is wrong and that the watch her hubby has is the real deal. And the story could end there, with a couple of old cons thinking they’ve got something they don’t. Except, according to reports Charlene and Anthony are said to be looking to sell the watch (as the real deal) for $1 million—which it certainly isn’t worth. Still, there is a way to make that watch really valuable! Just have it sink with the obviously doomed Titanic II and then fish it back up again.  …..MORE

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Titanic Survivor Leah Rosen Aks

The Sinking of The Titanic by Bruce M. Caplan

The Sinking of The Titanic by Bruce M. Caplan

   By Bruce M. Caplan

There were literally thousands of fascinating stories  that took place on the Titanic in 1912.  One of the most unique is that of  Leah Rosen Aks.  She was 18 years old and traveling with her ten month old  baby “Filly” (Phillip).  After the collision with the iceberg at  twenty minutes to midnight on April 14th Leah and her infant son  were escorted from third class up to the boat deck.

Leah Rosen Aks and her baby Phillip

Leah Rosen Aks and her baby Phillip

It was a frigid night and when Mrs. John Jacob Astor saw  the shivering baby, she removed her shawl and covered the  child.  Moments later Filly was yanked from Leah’s arms and thrown  into a lifeboat.  Leah screamed and yelled, but there was too much  pandemonium for anyone to listen.

In a daze, moments later Leah entered lifeboat 13 and for  hours she worried if her baby was safe.    When she was rescued and on the Carpathia, she searched everywhere  for Filly.  Suddenly she saw a lady holding Filly in her arms.   She rushed up to the woman, and was shocked when the lady holding her child  said that it was her baby and not Leah’s.

Soon Captain Rostron of the Carpathia was forced to play  the role of King Solomon.  He asked Leah and the other woman if there  was anything unusal about the child. The woman holding Filly was silent,  but Leah pointed out that Filly had a unique birthmark on his back.   Captain Rostron verified this and then took Filly from the woman and handed  the crying child back to Leah.

Leah vowed to name her next child after the Carpathia, because  the rescue by Captain Rostron and his crew had given her a new life.  She  passed away in 1967 and Phillip died in  1991.

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