Gambling Raid by District Attorney

Underworld Kingpin’s Art Treasures Seized

“Antique Toys, Mechanical Banks, Gold Coins and John Dillinger’s Fingerprints…”

Personal property was seized by the District Attorney as illegal “booty” acquired with profits from gambling and money-laundering operations. The investigation by the Rackets Bureau resulted in the arrest of 25 persons including the “Captain” of a well known crime family, who has managed to evade prosecution for 40 years.

The arresting officers burst into the small house like “bulls in a china shop,” and they stopped dead in their tracks. The house was filled with treasures. The D.A. was notified and he called Bartlett & Picarella to do an appraisal of this mini-museum.

Bartlett & Picarella required more than two weeks to inventory and appraise the vase collection, valued at over $3 million. The artworks ranged from paintings and sculpture to antique toys, mechanical banks, rare coins, books and manuscripts.

Anita Bartlett-Picarella reported that the collection of antique toys and mechanical banks rivaled those of museum collections in scope, rarity and condition. The Captain, affectionately known in his circle as “Uncle Patsy”* had also amassed a library of books which reflected the tastes and interests of a connoisseur in all aspects of the arts and sciences. Reference books, ranging from medicine and science, to art and literature, to politics and technology, lined the rooms in custom built mahogany cases. Every shelf was labeled. Disposable white gloves for handling the rare books rested on nearby tables crafted by artisans such as Marjorelle and Robsjohn-Gibbings of the Art Nouveau period.

Of particular note was the collection of documents and manuscripts related to the most infamous crime figures and villains of the twentieth century. Included were the original fingerprints, photograph, signature and booking sheet of John Dillinger, an original manuscript of gangland correspondence written by Al Capone and the original photograph album of Adolph Hitler and Eva Braun’s wartime mountain retreat with personal notations by Hitler. All of this, alongside more benign autographed memorabilia by Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Lou Gehrig and Marlene Dietrich.

A treasure trove of gold coins, Roman coins, early 19th century paper money and a variety of gold objects, including teeth, were valued by Bartlett & Picarella in excess of $700,000!

Bartlett & Picarella received a letter of commendation from the District Attorney after the project was completed.

The Maine Antiques Digest reported on this wonderful find:  click here to read their report.

*Name has been changed to protect identity.

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