The gun that gangster Bonnie Parker had taped to her thigh when she was shot dead is about to be sold at auction, along with the pistol tucked into the waistband of her notorious partner, Clyde Barrow.
They’re part of the Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen auction being held by RR Auctions in the US, and are expected to reach high prices after a Tommy gun and pump-action shotgun used by the pair sold recently for $130,000 and $80,000 respectively.
The fact that these two handguns were on the gangsters’ bodies when they were killed gives them extra significance.
Collectors will also have the chance to bid on a Colt singe-action Army revolver used by bank robber Bob Dalton when he was killed in a shootout with town citizens who thwarted his gang’s plans to steal their savings.
Bonnie’s revolver, a snub-nosed Colt Detective .38 Special, was recovered from her body by Frank Hamer after he and other Texas Rangers ambushed the outlaws on 23 May, 1934, and was subsequently given to another officer.
Hamer noted that Bonnie had it taped to her inner thigh because in those days no police officer would consider searching a women there.
The gun Clyde had tucked into his belt on that May day was a Colt 1911 Government .45 pistol.
Another interesting lot is a Colt Army .38 Special revolver recovered in 1930 from a car driven by Clyde. It is nickel plated and has had the trigger guard cut away and the hammer bobbed.
Other death-scene items up for auction include a mark-up box owned by Bonnie and a watch found in Clyde’s pocket
A .25-cal pocket pistol given to a bootlegger by Al Capone is also to be sold.
The auction also features letters, documents and other memorabilia from men such as Frank James, Wyatt Earp and Cole Younger.
RR Auctions is still seeking consignments for the themed auction, which closes on 30 September.
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