Laura Mabel Francatelli’s Titanic life jacket sold for £670,000 at a UK auction/Image: BBC
A life jacket worn by a Titanic survivor has been sold at auction for £670,000 ($906,000), far exceeding its estimated value, according to the Associated Press (AP).The jacket belonged to Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger on the RMS Titanic who survived the 1912 disaster. She was travelling with fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon and her husband Cosmo Duff Gordon, and escaped in lifeboat No. 1.The rare item was auctioned by Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, England, and sold to an anonymous bidder over the phone. It had been expected to fetch between £250,000 and £350,000, but the final price went well beyond that range.The flotation device is signed by Francatelli and other survivors from the same lifeboat. It features canvas material with cork-filled pockets, along with shoulder supports and straps.Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the strong sale reflected continued public interest in the Titanic story. “These record-breaking prices illustrate the continuing interest in the Titanic story, and the respect for the passengers and crew,” he said.Another item from the same auction, a seat cushion from one of the Titanic’s lifeboats, was sold for £390,000. It was purchased by the owners of Titanic museums in the United States.The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg during its maiden voyage from England to New York. Around 1,500 of the approximately 2,200 people on board lost their lives, while only about 700 survived.The ship remains one of the most well-known maritime disasters, with memorabilia continuing to draw global interest
