This lot will be auctioned on Tuesday, November 9th. The auction will begin at 3:00pm GMT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on November 10th or November 11th.
Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks) hero Thompson sub-machine gun from Steven Spielberg's World War II drama Saving Private Ryan. Captain Miller used his weapon throughout the film, from the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach, to the final, climactic battle in the streets of Ramelle, in which Miller and his platoon defended the bridge from the advancing German army.
The firearm is a Thompson M1 sub-machine gun (also known as a "Tommy Gun"), chambered in .45 ACP, with a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. It has been sympathetically deactivated. Actor Tom Hanks personally picked the gun at the start of production, intentionally choosing the 13th gun along the rack - "A13", its amoury code, is handwritten in black marker pen on the wooden grip underneath the barrel, just next to the front sling swivel. When work began on Hanks and Spielberg's TV series Band of Brothers, Colin Hanks chose the exact same weapon as his father, for his role as Lieutenant Henry Jones.
The action is made of steel, while the stock, pistol grip and front grip are made of walnut wood. The gun features a brown canvas shoulder strap. It is likely that the current magazine is not the same as the one used during production. The Thompson comes directly from the production armourer who handled it on set, and includes a letter from the armourer detailing its history, as well as a deactivation certificate and the original plastic armoury tag. The piece has some wear from extensive production use and age, as well as intentional distress applied to make it look well-used and worn. There is scratching and scuffing all over the weapon, most noticeably on the wooden sections. Dimensions: 86 cm x 5.5 cm x 26.5 cm (34" x 2¼" x 10")
Firearm deactivated; see firearm deactivation notice in the Buyer's Guide.
Special shipping required; see special shipping notice in the Buyer's Guide.
Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000 M