A life jacket worn by a survivor of the Titanic disaster has sold for £670,000 (about $904,500) at auction, significantly surpassing its estimated value in what auctioneers described as a rare, once-in-a-generation sale.
The item, believed to be the only known life jacket from a Titanic survivor ever offered at auction, was sold by UK-based auction house Henry Aldridge and Son. It had been expected to fetch between £250,000 and £350,000.
The vest was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic, which sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg during its maiden voyage. Francatelli, who was travelling with her employer Lucy Duff Gordon, survived after boarding lifeboat number one alongside other passengers.
The beige life jacket features 12 cork-filled canvas pockets, shoulder pads, and side straps. It is also signed by Francatelli and other survivors from her lifeboat, adding to its historical significance.
Managing director Andrew Aldridge described the piece as one of the most iconic Titanic artefacts ever to be auctioned, noting that it offers a rare personal connection to the more than 2,200 passengers and crew aboard the ill-fated ship.
The item had previously been exhibited at Titanic Belfast museum and the Titanic Museum Attraction in Tennessee before being consigned for sale by a private collector.
The Titanic remains one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, with only around 700 of the approximately 2,220 people on board surviving the sinking in April 1912.
