Al Capone’s Possessions Sell for More Than $3 Million at Auction

Some of the items sold astatine an auction of Al Capone’s possessions showed a tender broadside — similar a colour photo of his wife, Mae Capone, successful a bluish dress, holding a terrier. Others were a stark reminder of the unit helium incited — similar his “favorite” Colt .45 pistol.

All together, those 2 items and much than 170 others sold for $3,143,759 connected Friday astatine an auction hosted by Witherell’s Auction House successful Sacramento, Calif. The last sum demonstrated a continuing involvement successful a mob brag who died much than 7 decades ago.

Capone’s “favorite” pistol was the event’s highest-priced point of the night, according to the auction house. The winning bid was $860,000, and the purchaser, whose sanction was not released, volition wage $1,040,600 for it, including a 21 percent buyer’s premium.

“The last selling price, on with the grounds fig of registered bidders, wholly exceeded our expectations,” Mr. Witherell said successful a statement. “It truly speaks to the notoriety and allure of Al Capone, who is much wide known contiguous than helium was 100 years ago.”

Another gun, Mr. Capone’s 1908 hammerless .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, with a bluish decorativeness and wood grips, was the adjacent astir costly item. The winning bid was $200,000, and the buyer’s premium made the acquisition terms $242,000.

Not each of the items were pricey weapons. Two photographs of Mr. Capone’s son, Albert Francis Capone, who was known arsenic Sonny, sold unneurotic for a specified $100. In 1 tiny photo, which is 2.25 inches by 1.75 inches, Sonny kneels with the household dog. In different that is 9 by 7 inches, Sonny poses successful a achromatic suit with his hairsbreadth neatly slicked to the side. On the backmost are the words “twelve confirmation.”

Although different guns and knives brought hefty sums, 1 point of idiosyncratic worth was a three-page missive that Mr. Capone wrote to his lad portion helium was an inmate successful Alcatraz.

“To My Dear Son, Well Son of my heart, present is beloved father, who loves you with each my bosom and arrogant to person a son, arsenic astute arsenic you are,” Mr. Capone wrote successful the letter, dated Oct. 5, 1939. “Give Mother a bully large buss for maine and God bless you both. Your beloved Father Alphonse Capone.”

It sold for $56,700, including the buyer’s premium.

Fifty-six radical attended the auction successful person, which was accessible lone by lottery oregon invitation. Nearly 1,500 bidders registered, and much than 200 bidders followed the auction online oregon implicit the phone.

A surviving granddaughter of Mr. Capone, Diane Capone, said successful August that she and her 2 surviving sisters, who each unrecorded successful and astir Auburn, Calif., had decided to merchantability the possessions due to the fact that they were increasing older and disquieted what mightiness hap to the items if Northern California wildfires forced them to fly quickly.

“We decided that it was clip to portion with these household heirlooms and to uncover a precise antithetic broadside of Al Capone that astir radical would ne'er imagine,” she said successful a statement. “To us, helium was Papa. He was a precise loving and doting husband, begetter and gramps who would tally astir the location playing with america arsenic tiny children. He was intelligibly a analyzable man, and that’s evident if you analyse the years aft his imprisonment astatine Alcatraz.”

Mr. Capone is believed to person been down the deaths of much than 200 people, including a prosecutor. Although helium was ne'er convicted of murder, helium was sentenced successful 1931 for taxation evasion and served 7 and a fractional years successful national prison. He was released from situation successful 1939 arsenic his wellness deteriorated due to the fact that of paresis, a partial paralysis resulting from syphilis.

He died astatine 48 of complications from a changeable and pneumonia successful January 1947 successful his villa successful Palm Island, Fla.

Separate from the California auction, the Palm Island spot was besides precocious enactment up for sale. The mobster’s mansion successful the exclusive vicinity connected Palm Island, successful Biscayne Bay conscionable westbound of Miami Beach, sold for $10.75 cardinal successful August to Todd Glaser, a existent property developer, and Nelson Gonzalez, an investor, who had planned to raze the residence and physique a modern one.