The Astor family achieved prominence in business, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. With German roots, some of their ancestry goes back to the Italian and Swiss Alps, From Wikipedia
A gold pocket watch owned by John Jacob Astor IV, who perished on the Titanic, fetched nearly $1.5 million at auction, marking the highest price ever paid for Titanic memorabilia.
