1912 Fosbery Replica Titanic Lifebelt

This meticulously crafted replica of the Titanic's Fosbery lifebelt is made entirely from 100% linen. I dedicated over a year to sourcing authentic materials, focusing on matching the original thread counts, fabric weave, color, and thickness to faithfully recreate how the lifebelt would have looked when produced 112 years ago at the Fosbery factory. Due to the high sourcing costs of linen and custom-made twill, supplies are limited.

In June 2023, I had the privilege of inspecting Ken Marschall's original lifebelt, allowing me to take detailed measurements and apply those refinements to all my replicas. This lifebelt features white linen fabric, linen twill tapes, hand-bleached linen whip stitch thread, and irregularly cut cork, perfectly reflecting the construction of the original Titanic lifebelts.

While not all recovered Titanic lifebelts displayed ink markings, some did, including those worn by Titanic survivors Mabel Francatelli and Duff Gordon. The 'Front' and 'Fosbery' stamps have been recreated from Ken Marschall's 'half-belt,' while the 'Inside Back' and 'Warranted to Pass' stamps are based on photographs of the Francatelli lifebelt. Lifebelts without ink markings may have had their stamps fade over time, and just like the originals, the stamps on these replicas may appear slightly skewed due to the movement of the cork blocks.

Details:

• Fabric: 100% white linen

• Twill Tapes: Custom-made from unbleached linen. Two 38-inch ties on each side, made from single 92-inch pieces, attached at the back and hand-sewn on each side.

• Whip Stitching: Double-threaded and cross-stitched over twill tapes, using hand-bleached linen thread for color matching.

• Dimensions: Approximately 49" long x 12" wide

• Internal Cork Blocks: Each block is irregularly cut, ranging from 1.7" to 2" thick

• Weight: Approximately 5 pounds

Side by side with an original lifebelt

Materials