Titanic Survivor's Life Jacket Sells for Over $900,000 at Auction

A life jacket worn by Titanic survivor Laura Mabel Francatelli sold at auction for 670,000 pounds, or $906,000, on April 18, 2026. The auction took place at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, western England. The item exceeded its presale estimate of 250,000 to 350,000 pounds and was purchased by an unidentified telephone bidder.

The life jacket was signed by Francatelli and other survivors from the same lifeboat. It was among various Titanic memorabilia items offered in the sale. Prices include the buyer's premium.

A seat cushion from one of the Titanic's lifeboats sold for 390,000 pounds, or $527,000, at the same auction. The buyers were the owners of two Titanic museums located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge stated that the prices reflect ongoing interest in the Titanic story and respect for the passengers and crew.

The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg off Newfoundland during its maiden voyage from England to New York. Approximately 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew died in the incident. Francatelli, a first-class passenger, traveled with her employer, fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon, and Lucy's husband, Cosmo Duff Gordon.

All three survived in lifeboat No. 1, which carried 12 people despite a capacity for 40 and did not pick up additional survivors from the water. The previous record for Titanic memorabilia was 1.56 million pounds paid in 2024 for a gold pocket watch given to the captain of the RMS Carpathia, which rescued 700 Titanic survivors.