Join Darren Winston, Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, as he speaks to renowned Titanic Historian William Brower ahead of Freeman’ssale ofJohn Jacob Astor IV's Tiffany & Co.-Signed Patek Philippe pocket watch and gold Battin & Co. pencil to auction in our upcoming April 22 Watches sale.
Darren Winston: Tell us a bit about your journey studying the RMS Titanic and what sparked your scholarly interest in this vessel and its ultimate demise?
William Brower: I’ve always had an interest in history and shipwrecks. I saw Raise the Titanic at age five with my grandfather, and the opening sequence shows the real ship. Since I was captivated, my grandfather bought me a copy of A NIGHT to REMEMBER by Walter Lord and read one chapter each night before I went to bed. My summer visits with him included random aspects of the Titanic that helped shape my future, such as writing formal letters and making international calls, where I soon became friends with four survivors of the wreck. Before he passed from cancer when I was thirteen, he regifted me a copy of DISCOVERY of the TITANIC with a typed dedication to me and asked me to promise him I’d continue my research and share it with others as he’d done with me. In the fall of 1994, after I graduated high school, I developed a touring museum of the collection that I’d been building since age five and wrote a monologue based on the survivors’ accounts, who gave me permission to share their stories. I titled it Titanic: The Legacy Remains, and of my forty published works, five are strictly on Titanic herself; this summer marks forty-six years of research for me.
DW: For those who may not be as familiar, can you share the significance of John Jacob Astor IV aboard the Titanic and what we know about his final hours?
WB: JJ was quite a progressive man for his time, and although his marriage to Madeline drew quite a scandal, his reputation beforehand was forward-thinking and cunning. He even had one of the first science fiction books published in the States, in which he envisioned what life would be like in the year 2000! The return home on the Titanic was to finish the honeymoon with the new Mrs. Astor and their Airedale Terrier, Kitty. During the early moments after the collision, Madeline grew nervous amid the commotion on deck and was equally concerned about the baby she was carrying. JJ brought her into Titanic’s Gym on the Boat Deck, and while they waited in the heat for further instructions, he casually produced a penknife and cut one of the life jackets to show her what was inside. Once she was comfortable, he escorted her down to the Promenade Deck and helped her aboard Lifeboat 4. When asked about joining, given her five-month pregnancy, Second Officer Charles Lightoller declined, stating that it was women and children first. JJ kissed Madeline’s hand and stepped aside as the boat was lowered.
During the last hour, he’s reported to have gone aft and released the dogs from their kennels near the stern. Of the twelve on board, only three would survive. He was last seen during the Titanic’s final plunge, being washed overboard from the roof of the Officer’s Quarters with Chief Officer Wilde, plus many others.
DW: From your perspective as a Titanic historian, how rare is it to encounter personal objects that can be directly connected to passengers from the voyage?
WB: Personal items are quite rare outside of the artifacts recovered by RMS Titanic Inc. however, they still bring chills and draw attention when produced.
DW: Based on your research and understanding of the Astor family history, what makes this watch and pencil particularly compelling within the broader story of Titanic artifacts?
WB: JJ was famous before boarding the Titanic, but his presence as the richest man on board drew much coverage once his travel plans were confirmed. Knowing his actions, I’ve often pictured him using his methodical personality by glancing at the watch on occasion while on the deck waiting to see whatever fate lay ahead for him.
DW: Why do objects like these continue to resonate more than a century later—with historians, collectors, and the public alike?
WB: One hundred and fourteen years have passed since the Titanic went down. She’s become more of a legend or film prop, but with the items available, it's the reverence and gravity that remind us that this actually happened. Lucien Smith, like JJ, was on his honeymoon and joined the Astors in Egypt and the holy lands. He wrote to his sister at home, announcing their plans to return on board the Titanic. A week later, Lucien’s sister sent her mother a package containing his letter and a note attached to the NEW YORK TIMES newspaper for April 16, 1912, saying “Go to page 2.” Lucien was among those who went down with the ship. Today, his granddaughter has the wedding band he gave to his bride before departing on their voyage, and every April, she takes the package and ring out before putting them away again once the anniversary passes.
Robert Millar was twenty-six years old when he signed on to the Titanic as her Sixth Engineer. Before leaving for Belfast to join the crew, he asked his little brother to hold his lucky pen knife for him until he finished his tour of duty and came home. During the two hours and forty minutes of the sinking, Robert and his close friends fought the onslaught of seawater, trying to keep the lights and power going.
Recent evidence has shown that even after breaking in half, the Titanic’s emergency dynamos kept power running until the final plunge. The entire engineering department went down with the ship, all thirty-five men. His great niece and her mother will be traveling to Belfast, where on the anniversary, she’ll gather at the slipway where the Titanic was first built and join other family members of the crew and passengers in a candlelight vigil before placing a rose at the memorial where his name is listed with his brothers in arms. These were everyday people overshadowed by the tragedy that took and immortalized them.
