Titanic life jacket sold for £60,000 (From This is Hampshire)

Titanic life jacket sold for £60,000

3:51pm Wednesday 16th May 2007 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

A life jacket worn by a survivor from the Titanic sold at auction today for £60,000.

Laura Mabel Francatelli's life-preserver, signed by some of the 10 men and two women also fleeing the luxury liner on lifeboat number 1, was picked up by an anonymous bidder.

A copy of the affidavit she gave to Lord Mersey's inquiry following the disaster went to another anonymous bidder for £2,880 at Christie's in central London.

Ms Francatelli, a secretary, was rescued the next day by the Carpathia and it was written just days later.

A telegram received on the Carpathia saying the sender was alive and well sold for £3,600, while two unsent telegrams from the Carpathia and a cheque for the Titanic Relief Fund together sold for £3,240.

A silver souvenir Titanic teaspoon sold for £6,600.

All the items were bought by anonymous bidders. The figures include buyer's premium.

Miss Francatelli's letter came to light after her nephew took it to Christie's with his aunt's life jacket.

A Christie's spokeswoman said: ''We are delighted with the results today which shows the market for Titanic memorabilia as we approach the 100th anniversary in 2012 is really strong and could well rocket in price.''