Titanic life jacket sells for nearly $1 million at auction as rare artifacts draw record interest
A life jacket worn by a Titanic passenger during the 1912 disaster has sold at auction for 670,000 pounds ($906,000), far exceeding expectations as collectors continue to drive strong demand for rare artifacts from the ill-fated voyage.
The preserved flotation device belonged to first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli, who escaped the sinking liner aboard a lifeboat. The item, which also bears signatures from Francatelli and other survivors from the same lifeboat, was the standout piece in a sale of Titanic memorabilia and was purchased by an anonymous telephone bidder.
Auction estimates had placed the life jacket between 250,000 and 350,000 pounds, but competitive bidding pushed the final price well beyond that range, including the buyer’s premium.
Another major item in the same auction was a seat cushion from one of the Titanic’s lifeboats, which sold for 390,000 pounds ($527,000). That piece was acquired by the owners of two Titanic museums in Tennessee and Missouri.
Auction officials said the results reflect continued global fascination with the Titanic tragedy and the personal stories tied to its passengers and crew.
The Titanic, once described as virtually unsinkable, struck an iceberg during its maiden voyage from England to New York and sank on April 15, 1912. More than 1,500 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew died in the disaster.
Interest in the ship endures in part because of its mix of passengers from different social classes, from wealthy elites to working-class travelers.
Francatelli was traveling with prominent fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon and her husband Cosmo Duff Gordon. All three survived in Lifeboat No. 1, which left the ship carrying only a fraction of its capacity, a decision that later sparked controversy for failing to return for additional passengers in the water.
The latest sale comes amid a growing market for Titanic-related artifacts. A previous record was set in 2024 when a gold pocket watch presented to the captain of the rescue ship RMS Carpathia sold for 1.56 million pounds, nearly $2 million at the time.
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