Lot 208

Meyer Lansky's Personally Owned Copy of "Lansky" Ex. Lansky Family with Provenance from his Grandson!

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Meyer Lansky's Personally Owned Copy of "Lansky" Ex. Lansky Family with Provenance from his Grandson!

Estimate: $300 - $400

Starting Bid: $100

(0 Bids)

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

Meyer Lansky
New York, NY, ca. 1971
Meyer Lansky's Personally Owned Copy of "Lansky" Ex. Lansky Family with Provenance from his Grandson!
Books

Meyer Lansky's extraordinary personally owned copy of "Lansky" by investigative journalist Hank Messick, the controversial biography that brought Meyer Lansky and the National Crime Syndicate into the national spotlight. The striking front cover boldly proclaims, "The book that made headlines and tore the lid off the Lansky Crime Syndicate" and features the memorable tagline, "...THE MOB RUNS AMERICA AND LANSKY RUNS THE MOB." The reverse cover contains promotional text describing Lansky's alleged influence over organized crime, casinos, and national business interests, illustrating how he was portrayed in popular media during the era. This well-read Berkeley Medallion paperback remained in Lansky's personal library and exhibits heavy period wear throughout, including creasing, edge loss, wet staining, rubbing, tears, and handling consistent with decades of use. The book measures 4.25" x 7" x 1".

Provenance: Meyer Lansky's favorite grandson, Gary Rapoport. Accompanying the piece is a provenance certificate signed by Gary Rapoport, John Reznikoff and Luke Pascal.

Meyer Lansky (1902-1983), often referred to as the "Mob Accountant," was one of the most influential and financially sophisticated figures in the history of American organized crime. A longtime associate of Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Lansky helped transform organized crime from loosely connected gangs into a highly organized national syndicate overseeing gambling, bootlegging, labor racketeering, and casinos throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Although he rarely held a formal leadership title, his financial acumen earned him enormous influence within the underworld, where he became one of its most respected strategists.

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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  • Dimensions: 4.25" x 7" x 1"
  • Medium: Books

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Bid Increments
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$2,000 $2,999 $200
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$50,000 + $5,000