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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Titanic Life Vest Fetches Astonishing $28.5 Million NTD at UK Auction

From Liberty Times · (9h ago) Chinese Positive tone

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A life vest worn by a passenger on the Titanic in 1912 sold for £670,000 (approximately $28.5 million NTD).
  • The vest was estimated to sell between £250,000 and £350,000 but far exceeded expectations.
  • The vest belonged to Laura Mabel Francatelli, secretary to Lady Lucy Duff Gordon, who survived the sinking.

A piece of history, imbued with the tragedy of the Titanic, has fetched an astonishing price at auction. A life vest, worn by a first-class passenger during the ill-fated voyage of 1912, sold for a staggering £670,000, far surpassing its initial estimate. This artifact, belonging to Laura Mabel Francatelli, secretary to the renowned fashion designer Lady Lucy Duff Gordon, carries the weight of that fateful night. Francatelli, along with Lady Duff Gordon and her husband, survived the sinking in lifeboat No. 1. However, the circumstances surrounding lifeboat No. 1 have long been a point of contention, with reports suggesting it carried only 12 people despite having a capacity for 40, and that they did not assist those struggling in the water. The sale of this life vest not only highlights the enduring fascination with the Titanic but also brings to the fore the complex narratives and controversies surrounding its survivors. It's a stark reminder of the human stories intertwined with this historical disaster.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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