A Harrington and Richardson second model top break revolver belonging to infamous gangster Al Capone (1899-1947) made $35,000 in Heritage Auctions' June 8 Arms and Armour auction in Dallas.
 Al Capone gave the revolver to his brother Ralph |
The lot was sold alongside a letter from Madeleine Capone Morichetti, widow of his brother Ralph, which states: "While going through my desk…I came across a small nickel plated pistol that belonged to my late husband Ralph.
"This gun was originally owned by Al, and then later given to Ralph.
"This revolver bears the number 124649 and does not have a hammer to snag on one's clothing, or the silk lining of one's overcoat.
"It is a defensive weapon typical of what the guys carried on their person during those days."
Capone memorabilia often sells well at auction due to his huge notoriety. His armoured Cadillac sold for $341,000 at RM Auctions in 2012, while the sale of his personal Colt Police special netted £67,250 ($109,080) at Christie's London in 2011.
A rare Winchester "W" model 1890 cartridge board was another highlight, reaching its $25,000 high estimate.
Described as "the ultimate quest on the bucket list" for advertising collectors, the piece features every bullet produced by the company at the time of manufacture.
A label on the back reads: "Presented with Compliments Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Please Hang in A Prominent Place."
We have a strong selection of militaria available.
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