Hood Ornament Allegedly Owned by Al Capone, circa 1930

Summary

This hood ornament - later mounted onto an ashtray - reportedly came from Al Capone's armored 1928 Cadillac. The vehicle, impounded in 1931 after the gangster's arrest, was brought into Presidential service in 1941 following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Morgan L. Gies, a United States Secret Service agent responsible for White House vehicles from 1941 to 1967, retained this memento.

This hood ornament - later mounted onto an ashtray - reportedly came from Al Capone's armored 1928 Cadillac. The vehicle, impounded in 1931 after the gangster's arrest, was brought into Presidential service in 1941 following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Morgan L. Gies, a United States Secret Service agent responsible for White House vehicles from 1941 to 1967, retained this memento.

Artifact

Hood ornament

Date Made

circa 1930

Creators

Unknown

Place of Creation

United States 

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2011.241.12

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Edward L. Gies in Memory of Morgan L. Gies.

Material

Metal
Plating (Metal coating)
Marble (Rock)

Color

Silver (Color)
Light green
Brown

Dimensions

Height: 6.5 in  (hood ornament)

Width: 6 in  (hood ornament)

Length: 4.5 in  (hood ornament)

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