Lot 330

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Description:

Jack Ruby Bullet & Spent Cartridge Fired from .38 Caliber Colt Cobra, Oswald Murder Weapon

This display features a bullet and spent shell cartridge from the .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver which Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby (1911-1967) used to shoot suspected John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald (1939-1963). Both the bullet and the cartridge are displayed in a custom mahogany-finished and glass-topped case. A brass plaque affixed to the red velvet lining is engraved "Historical Collectable / Owners Proof Edition / An Original Bullet / Shot from ‘The Most Famous Gun in the World’ / The ‘Jack Ruby’ Colt Cobra .38 Special." Both the bullet and shell bear the impression "Al Pugliese III © 1992 / O.P." The bottom of the casing is also engraved "R.P. 38 SPL." The bullet measures .75" while the cartridge measures 1.125." The box overall measures 5.785" x 6" x 1.75." Provenance: From the collection of Ron Hoskins, assassinologist.

The vertical markings of this bullet correspond with the scoring found on the fatal Oswald bullet. Oswald was being escorted through the basement of Dallas Police Department headquarters on Sunday morning, November 24, 1963, two days after President John F. Kennedy was shot in the Dallas motorcade, when Ruby approached him at 11:21 AM and fired a single round at point blank range into Oswald's torso. The bullet entered Oswald's left side, instantly inflicting catastrophic damage to at least five major internal organs. Oswald was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead less than 90 minutes later at 1:07 PM.

Jack Ruby had purchased his .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver at a Dallas sporting goods store in January 1960. Ruby was nicknamed "Sparky" because he regularly carried a revolver, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation reports. Ruby claimed he went armed to protect himself against theft while transporting large amounts of cash.

After Ruby's death in 1967, the revolver was kept in a safe deposit box until it was awarded to Ruby's family in 1991. The gun was then sold at auction to a real estate developer named Al Pugliese III, who discharged the weapon to sell the spent bullets and cartridges for charity, for upwards of $1,000 apiece. A similar presentation of a Ruby bullet and cartridge sold at Goldin Auctions in 2016 for over $2,400.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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March 3, 2021 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000