KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Their robbery and murder spree captivated the country during the Great Depression. On Saturday, a Missouri family sold a pair of rare weapons believed to have been used by outlaws Bonnie and Clyde.
The two firearms were the talk of the auction.
“It’s a neat piece of American history,” said history buff John Mahoney. “The darker side of American history.”
Potential bidders looked, talked and watched as both guns went on the auction block.
“I’m here to bid on the Bonnie and Clyde memorabilia,” said Larry Vanzandt. “We’re avid gun collectors at our dealership in Butler and Nevada, Mo.”
Police found the guns during a raid of the couple’s Joplin hide out back in 1933.
“They were taken by a police officer and given as a gift to our sellers great grandfather,” said auctioneer Robert Mayo.
Both weapons have lived at the Springfield Police Museum since 1973. On Saturday, the weapons would find a new home.
The family sold the Tommy gun made famous in a picture of Bonnie holding the gun for $130,000. The shotgun was sold for about $80,000.
Michael Brown was one of the bidders in the game until the very end. He wanted the weapons for a gangster museum.
“We have other pieces of history we’ve already acquired and we wanted to acquire this one, but it didn’t work out that’s the way things go,” said bidder Michael Brown .
One online bidder ended up buying both guns.
“Nothing ever surprises me,” Mayo said. “It’s hard to put a value on something like this. At the end of the day we like to say it’s worth what someone is willing to pay for it.”
The price on Saturday was about $210,000 for both guns. People continue to be fascinated by Bonnie and Clyde.
“They were ruthless,” Mayo said. “They were just ruthless and believed they were above any kind of control. They did whatever they wanted to do. so I think people are fascinated that they lived outside any social norms that we can think of especially in that day and that time.”
That means they’re worth a big chunk of change on Saturday! The family that sold the guns says the serial number on one of the guns matches one listed as stolen in Ohio and one described by a police officer who survived a kidnapping.
