Juliens Auctions in Los Angeles is hosting a Gangsters, Politicians, Cowboys and Astronauts auction on 28th August, including mob memorabilia from the Jay Bloom Las Vegas mob experience.
Jay Bloom’s collection had been exhibited at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and includes 100’s of pieces of personally owned mob memorabilia from the likes of Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Sam Gianacana, Lucky Luciano and Al Capone.
Jay Bloom has said “This definitive collection reveals the innermost thoughts and feelings of some of the most notable figures in Organized Crime history,”
Items include a three-page hand-written letter by Bugsy Siegel dated November 28th 1946, written to his wife Esther on Western Airlines headed paper whilst on a flight to Las Vegas.
In the letter Siegel offers his parental advice, in the event of his absence. This is believed to be the only known handwritten Bugsy Siegel letter and has an estimate of $20,000 - $30,000.
Another interesting lot is Bugsy Siegel’s 14kt gold pencil. The pencil measures 4 inches in length and has an estimate of $300 - $500.
Meyer Lansky’s address book could be yours with a $100 - $200 estimate. The address book includes names, addresses and phonenumbers of friends, family and colleagues written in black, blue, and red ink.
The black rain hat that Meyer Lanksy was wearing when he arrived at Miami airport, after being deported to the USA from Israel, is up for sale with an estimate of $5,000 - $7,000.
Lanksy was arrested on the tarmac at Miami International airport to face trial for tax evasion, but was ultimately acquitted.
The black polyester hat with black band has been photo matched by an expert, and is sold with the relevant provenance.
An item that is sure to be popular with collectors is a set of silver plated dice that belonged to Sam Giancana, the Chicago mob boss.
Estimated at $100 - $200 the dice have already attracted 11 bids and now stand at $700.
Image: Julien's Auctions
One of the most valuable lots in the auction is a three-page letter hand-written by Al Capone whilst he was in Alcatraz, in which Capone details his prison experiences.
The letter is accompanied by letter of authenticity from the PSA and is expected to sell for $30,000 - $50,000.
View the full auction at Julien's Auctions.