outta_ammo
Member
Just hammered at $1,083,600 including buyer's premium!!!
Al Capone'''s "Favorite" .45 Auto - Oct 08, 2021 | Witherell'''s in CA
Al Capone'''s "Favorite" .45 Auto - Oct 08, 2021 | Witherell'''s in CA
Behold Al Capone's "favorite" 1911 sale.
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LittleCooner
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amazing. Now it is someone else's favorite 1911. John Browning just flipped over in his grave.
8 times the estimate!
Marshal Tom
Member
I knew I shouldn't have bid that high! Now what will I do? Wait til the wife finds out!!!
Am I missing something ? “Partial serial number…”
I think for a million plus the ATF and I would want a complete serial number.
Capone lived on Miami Beach. A close friend’s grandfather had an interior design business and Al was a steady customer. Every time he went to the house a different blonde babe would answer the door and every time he’d say “ Good morning Mrs. Capone, is Mr. Capone in ?”
Regards,
I think for a million plus the ATF and I would want a complete serial number.
Capone lived on Miami Beach. A close friend’s grandfather had an interior design business and Al was a steady customer. Every time he went to the house a different blonde babe would answer the door and every time he’d say “ Good morning Mrs. Capone, is Mr. Capone in ?”
Regards,
I always understood that his favorite handgun was a Colt 1908, .380.
And modified after Capone owned/used it; sights as shown didn't exist in the 1930s did they? Maybe by 1947 when he died but with terminal syphilis for the ten previous years I doubt he was doing much with 1911s. Maybe the engraving too?
Must have really solid provenance to justify that kind of price. . . .or maybe the check will never arrive.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
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I saw the news story on this a couple of months ago and I believe it was in the possession of his grand children but even so I still think it lacks the provenance. The addition of micro sights that I don’t believe were around in his lifetime also makes me skeptical…
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I got “ dinged” for posting this about a month ago. There were many interesting guns in the auction.
jag312
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jag312
Member
Al's son butchered the gun. Added the target sights, added the engraving, checkered the front of the grip, changed the trigger, and God knows what happened to the serial number. The partially removed serial number is the most troubling for me. The transfer goes through Old West Gun Room in San Pablo. What does an FFL do if a gun comes in with a partially removed serial number?
The devil is in the details…
It was an upcoming auction at the time. Now it’s a closed/completed auction.
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Well, how many times would Big Al’s guns be auctioned?…once in a lifetime event, not just an auction. Significant event.
AJ
US Veteran
But was it at Little Big Horn?
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
No but I hear he got it from John Wilks Booth
Maybe transfer it with whatever can be read of the partial. Or, check the SN on the slide and use that. . .likely has the rest of the SN if part of the one on the frame is missing.
Several options I've seen with older S&Ws; probably the favorite is to use the assembly number in the yoke or the SN from the cylinder or barrel flat.
All are technically problematic with the ATF but for antiques and collectible items like Capone's guns the ATF probably isn't going to make an issue of it . . . . .unless forced to do so.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
I thought they would find the body of the person that infected him
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