A life jacket worn by Titanic survivors has sold at auction for 670,000 pounds ($906,000), far exceeding its estimate, the Associated Press reported.The jacket belonged to Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger on the Titanic who survived the 1912 disaster. She traveled with fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon and her husband Cosmo Duff Gordon and escaped in Lifeboat 2. 1.The rare item was auctioned by Henry Aldridge and Sons of Devizes, England, and sold over the phone to an anonymous bidder. It was originally expected to sell for between £250,000 and £350,000, but the final price was well outside that range.The flotation device is signed by Francatelli and other survivors from the same lifeboat. It is made of canvas material with cork-filled pockets, as well as shoulder supports and straps.Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the sale’s strong performance reflected the public’s continued interest in the Titanic story. “These record-breaking prices demonstrate the continued interest in the Titanic story and the respect for the passengers and crew,” he said.Another item at the same auction was a seat cushion from the Titanic lifeboat, which sold for £390,000. It was purchased by the owners of the American Titanic Museum.On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage from England to New York. About 1,500 of the approximately 2,200 people on board were killed, and only about 700 survived.The ship remains one of the most famous maritime disasters and its memorabilia continues to attract global attention
