“Sweetheart,” the Colt 1911 .45 pistol faithfully used by mobster legend Al Capone, is going on sale at Richmond Auctions on May 18.
The real-life “Scarface” used the pistol repeatedly over the years.
“This gun was kind of his protection and I think it saved his life on a number of occasions and so he called it his sweetheart,” granddaughter Diane Capone told CBS News in 2021 ahead of its first appearance at auction.
The gun was made in 1912 and, despite showing signs of wear and use near the muzzle, still functions properly, according to the Richmond Auctions lot listing.
The pistol has a $500,000 starting bid, but is currently projecting “Sweetheart” will sell for between $2 million and $3 million.
Other historical guns have commanded similar prices, with the gun of Pres. Ulysses S. Grant going for more than $5 million, according to a Richmond Auctions press release.
“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. 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,” Richmond Auctions’ firearms specialist Kimmie Williams said.
To certify its authenticity, the pistol also comes with a sales record from the Colt Historical Archive and a letter of provenance explaining the chain of custody from Ms. Capone.
After Capone’s death in 1947, it passed to his wife Mae Capone and his only child Sonny Capone, staying in the family for 75 years before the family sold “Sweetheart” to an unnamed private collector in 2021.
Bidding on “Sweetheart” will be available online, by phone, as an absentee or in-person at the physical Richmond Auctions auction house in Greenville, South Carolina, starting at 3 p.m. on May 18.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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