Al Capone’s personal protection Colt 1911 .45 semi-automatic pistol, dubbed “Sweetheart,” is going up for auction next month.
South Carolina-based Richmond Auctions on Thursday announced the upcoming sale of the notorious gangster’s gun, set to take place in Greenville on May 18 at 3 p.m.
Al Capone has been described as “the most shot at man in America,” and the auction house noted that his granddaughter, Diane Capone, has appeared in multiple documented interviews describing Sweetheart as his constant companion.
According to the auction house, Capone credited Sweetheart with saving his life on multiple occasions, and remarked that the Colt 1911 was his favorite gun.
Witherell’s of California
Capone, known by nicknames including “Scarface” and Public Enemy Number One,” was the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit during the Prohibition era from 1925 to 1931. Known as a “modern-day Robin Hood,” he became one of the most well known gangsters in America, until he was ultimately imprisoned at the age of 33.
After his death in 1947, the Sweetheart Colt 1911 remained in the Capone family until his granddaughters sold it along with other family treasures in 2021. The gun’s resurfacing presents “a rare opportunity for serious firearm connoisseurs and world-class collectors to add an unparalleled piece of history to their collections,” Richmond Auctions said.
The gun’s estimated value is $2 million to $3 million, and it’s expected to fetch a record-breaking sum. Previous historical firearms have sold for millions at auction, including Ulysses S. Grant’s pistol, which sold for more than $5 million, and the Pat Garrett Colt, which sold for more than $6 million.
“This particular Colt 1911 is more than just a firearm. It’s a relic of an era marked by lawlessness and larger-than-life personalities,” Kimmie Williams, Richmond Auctions’ firearms specialist, said in a statement. “Its profound connection to Al Capone adds an extra layer of allure, making it a must-have and trump-card for any world-class collector.”
Story via TMX