Mob loot: Lots from an era that inspired The Godfather up for auction

This weekend, Julien's Auctions will feature lots used by some of the most notorious crime bosses of the 20th century including Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel

Al Capone's letter to his son written in Alcatraz.

If the weather is fine this upcoming August bank holiday Monday and a mob descends on the beach, then collectors may find diversion elsewhere with a 'mob' of an entirely different sort.

Hundreds of artefacts used by some of the most notorious American crime bosses of the 20th century will come under the hammer live and online at Julien’s Auctions on Sunday, August 28.

It includes former personal items of American organised crime figures who have so fascinated the public for nearly a century that many have become household names.

Items going to auction and once belonging to Al Capone, Ben ‘Bugsy’ Siegel, Meyer ‘Little Man’ Lansky, Tony ‘The Ant’ Spilotro, ‘Irish’ Mickey Cohen (born in New York to Jewish parents), Sam ‘MoMo’ Giancana and Charlie ‘Lucky’ Luciano include jewellery, correspondence, firearms, home movies and handwritten notebooks.

The Mob: A History of Organized Crime’s Artifacts features a collection from Jay Bloom, founder of the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Al Capone's letter to his son written in Alcatraz.

A letter from Al Capone handwritten in Alcatraz to his son, Sonny, is a highlight estimated at $30,000-$50,000 (€29,370-€48,950). In it he details his experiences at the notorious island prison, reports that he learned to play the mandola and expresses how he is looking forward to being reunited with his family in less than a year.

There is a collection of home movies and camera equipment belonging to Tony Spilotro, a notable figure of the Chicago Outfit of organised crime in Las Vegas during the 1970s and 1980s.

Spilotro served as the inspiration for Joe Pesci’s character in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film, Casino.

Virginia Hill's diamond stud earrings at Julien's Auctions.

Something for the “moll” in your life? A pair of mobster-style diamond stud earrings that belonged to Virginia Hill are on offer with an estimate of $3,000-$5,000 (€2,940-€4,890). This gangster moll began her career as a courier for the Chicago Outfit and eventually directed smuggling operations, collected intel on rival factions and had a relationship with Bugsy Siegel.

If you are of a superstitious turn of mind, however, be aware that Siegel was ultimately assassinated at her home in Beverly Hills.

‘Irish’ Mickey Cohen’s black Spartan boxing gloves are estimated at $10,000-$20,000 (€9,790-€19,580).

Born in 1913, he spent time in his teens participating in illegal prizefights and began life as a career criminal in 1933 in Cleveland.

There he worked for Desert Inn Casino investor Lou Rothkopf, whose association with Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel resulted in Cohen being sent to California where he became one of America’s most notorious gangsters.

Among Irish Mickey Cohen’s famous quotes are: “All good things must one day be burnt to the ground for the insurance money” and “I have killed no men that, in the first place, didn’t deserve killing”.

Meyer Lansky's Medal of Freedom.

The collection from The Mob’s accountant Meyer Lansky includes four handwritten notebooks telling his story in his own words ($50,000-$70,000/€48,950-€68,530) and the Medal of Freedom ($40,000-$60,000/€39,160-€58,740) he was awarded by President Truman in 1945 for his role in Operation Husky during the Second World War.

All wars create strange bedfellows: in an unlikely partnership between organised crime groups and the Office of Naval Intelligence, Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano were able to assist the US government in the war effort during the Second World War.

In fact, their contacts with the Sicilian Mafia helped facilitate the Allied invasion of Sicily.

Through their good offices, Calogero Vizzini of the Sicilian mafia led the forces through a difficult mountain pass, provided harbour maps, contacts and assisted in taking out snipers.

Meyer Lansky's bow-tie collection at Julien's Auctions.

The sale includes Bugsy Siegel’s Smith and Wesson .38 CTG revolver ($20,000-$30,000/€19,580-€29,370), the only known handgun belonging to the Las Vegas Strip kingpin and National Crime Syndicate mobster.

Meyer Lansky’s bow-tie collection is more modestly estimated at $3,000-$5,000/€2,940-€4,890.

The lots on offer in this unusual auction, certain to attract global attention, chronicle the rise and fall of an era which continues to grip the imagination through films inspired by Mafia history and folklore such as The Godfather and Goodfellas.