WLS Radio Show - 2025-10-26 E16

Al Capone's Piano, Buffalo Bill, & Dumpster Diving for Treasure!

Welcome to the Donley Auctions Hour, where history and opportunity collide! This week, hosts Randy, Mike, and Susan are fresh off their massive Fall Classic auction and are already hunting for treasures for their next sales. This episode was a whirlwind of incredible stories, from Al Capone's barber to Buffalo Bill's Chicago showdown.

The team is actively building their upcoming auctions, and this show is your inside guide to what they're looking for. Here are the highlights of the unbelievable stories and items discussed:

• Upcoming Auction Blitz: Get ready for a busy season! The team announces several upcoming auctions, including a "Clear the Deck" online clearance sale for decorators and upcyclers [03:36] and a fascinating online-only auction of vintage razor blade displays and "barberiana" [04:51].

• Al Capone's Barber... and Piano?: The razor blade auction sparks a wild story about a complete marble barbershop the Donleys once acquired from a Round Lake hotel, which was rumored to be Al Capone's preferred spot [07:01]. This leads to an even bigger story: Randy is currently vetting a Steinway player piano with provenance from Al Capone's Miami home [10:04]!

• The Vault Myth: Randy and Mike share a fantastic family story, debunking the infamous 1980s Geraldo Rivera "Capone's Vault" TV special. Their father, who worked in the New Michigan Hotel as a boy, had told producers beforehand that the "vault" was just a bricked-up coal tunnel to keep rats out—a story they chose not to air [08:17]!

• We're Building a "Gangster" Auction: Inspired by the Capone stories, the team officially announces they are seeking consignments for a future Gangster & Police Memorabilia auction. They're looking for anything from the 1920s-'30s era: photos, clothing, badges, and firearms [09:33].

• Wild West & Native American Sale (Nov. 22-23): Get ready for the next big live auction! It features a professor's lifetime collection of Native American items [15:26] and, for the first time, artifacts from the Donley's Wild West Town museum. One highlight is a complete buckskin outfit from the historic 101 Ranch Wild West Show [17:44].

• Buffalo Bill vs. The World's Fair: Mike shares an incredible piece of Chicago history. The auction includes original programs from Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show during the 1893 Columbian Exposition [18:51]. When the Fair demanded 50% of his profits, Buffalo Bill refused, rented 20 acres next door, and ran his own show, often getting better attendance than the World's Fair itself [19:33]!

• Auction Myths—Busted: Susan and the team bust common auction myths.

  • Myth #1: It's intimidating. Wrong. Donley's auctions are casual, fun, high-energy events with free admission and food [22:00].

  • Myth #2: You won't get a good price. Wrong. A global online audience ensures you get the true market value, not the "negotiating down" price of a garage sale [29:14].

  • Myth #3: You don't have anything valuable. You don't know! Randy and Mike share stories of finding treasure in dumpsters, including a hand-painted WWII flight jacket [36:21] and Mike's high school job as a garbage man, where he'd find firearms and military relics thrown away [37:25]. Call first before you clean out an estate!

• D-Day & Military Consignments: The team is seeking items for their massive D-Day collection auction (Feb. 7). They're looking for uniforms, helmets, photos, and weapons [41:41]. Mike also shares the story of acquiring a Civil War archive from a Confederate soldier who was captured and then fought for the North [45:06].

To hear all the stories and learn more about these upcoming auctions, listen to the full episode here: https://youtu.be/lLQDUS_Jqtk

Welcome to the Donley Auctions Hour! Here, the thrill of the hunt meets the excitement of the auction block. In this episode, hosts Susan, Mike, and Randy Donley take us on a captivating journey through the world of antiques, military relics, and unique collectibles. From behind-the-scenes glimpses of promoting upcoming auctions to incredible tales of rare finds, this episode is a must-listen for both seasoned collectors and newcomers to the auction scene.