ALS signed twice “Your dear old pal, Al,” and “Al Capone,” one page, 6.5 x 10.5, no date, but mid-1940s. Letter written to family friend Gertrude F. Cole asking her to pick up some items at a store. In full (with grammar and spelling retained): “Please bring me 3 decks of Pennucle Cards, 1 large bottle of Bayer’s Aspirin & get some…Borax or Lux or any kind of soap you can the more the better. Your dear ol pal, Al.” Capone continues underneath, “Please bring them all here tomorrow will give you the rest of the money when you get all these things and real good happy new year,” and signed at the conclusion, “Al Capone.” Simply matted and framed to an overall size of 10 x 14. In very good condition, with intersecting folds, one through a single letter of signature, and moderate overall creasing and wrinkling. All of Capone’s writing remains quite crisp and bold.
Also included are two original glossy candid photos, each 2.25 x 4, one of Capone and his wife Mae, the other of Al and Mae Capone posing alongside their only child Sonny, and two of Sonny’s four daughters. Both photos were taken outside the Capone house on Palm Island in Miami, Florida. Photos are matted together to an overall size of 9.25 x 8.25. Accompanied by a three-page letter of provenance from Cole’s granddaughter providing background information on Cole’s relationship with Capone.
Following his time at Alcatraz, with his health in decline and his mental capacities diminishing, Al Capone returned to a quiet life at his family home in Palm Island, Florida. According to Luciano Iorizzo’s 2003 biography, Capone spent a good deal of his time playing cards with cohorts from his glory days, who visited him often and held enough respect for their former boss that they rarely let him lose. It was at this time that he met Gertrude Cole, who had been a close friend to his daughter-in-law Diana Casey’s family for decades. With her training as a nurse, her reputation as a reliable and trustworthy companion, and her love of horse racing, she became a comfortable friend and occasional caregiver in Al’s world. Any handwritten material from Capone is highly sought after—this piece, with its pair of bold signatures and glimpse into his days in Florida, is significantly more so! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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