Al Capone's revolver. (click on image to enlarge)
Al Capone’s .38 revolver leads Christie’s arms and armour sale at South Kensington, London on June 22. The .38 (Special) ‘Police Positive” nickel plated six-shot double action revolver was manufactured by Colt. It has chequered walnut grips and retains nearly all its original nickel-plated finish. The serial number is 384221.
Al Capone (1899 –1947) is one of the most famous American gangsters. The stereotypical mobster image – blue pinstripe suit, tilted fedora – is based upon photographs of Capone, and his personality has been used as a template for copious fictional criminal masterminds. He once observed that: “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone”.
The revolver is accompanied by a copy of an affidavit sworn on March 25,1990 by Madeleine Capone Morichetti, widow of Ralph Capone. This states that: “Ralph Capone became the custodian and owner of a certain Colt Police Positive .38 Special Revolver, serial no. 384221, being nickel plates with a wood handle, which revolver was acquired from and was the property of his brother Al Capone”. The affidavit also states that, according to Ralph’s wishes, upon his death the revolver was to be passed to one Edmund Koeski which it was in 1976.
Estimated at £50,000-70,000 it will be sold with a further 209 lots, dating from the 10th century to the 20th century with individual estimates from £300 to £85,000.
UPDATE: The revolver sold for £67,250. It was the top lot in a sale which realised £634,825.