Off-white .5″ button removed from the shirt Clyde Barrow was wearing when he and Bonnie Parker were shot and killed by officers in an ambush near Sailes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana, on May 23, 1934. In fine condition. Originally purchased from Clyde Barrow's younger sister, Marie, and is accompanied by a letter of provenance from the buyer, in part: "I met Marie Barrow, younger sister of outlaw Clyde Barrow, on May 23, 1996. She was a featured guest for a book signing at the Dallas Public Library...Many artifacts owned by Marie Barrow from the Barrow family were on display...Marie made it known that these personal articles were now for sale. I...bought the bullet-riddled shirt that Clyde was wearing on the day of his death. Shortly after this time, I removed a button from the shirt so I could display it in my collector's cabinet in my home. The removed button is the very bottom one from the front of the shirt." Also includes a few images of the shirt, including one of Marie Barrow holding it.
After nearly a two-year manhunt, Bonnie and Clyde were gunned down by a six-man posse led by Frank Hamer on a quiet road deep in the piney Louisiana woods. News of their demise traveled quickly and a crowd soon gathered at the spot of the ambush. Despite efforts to keep onlookers away from the bullet-riddled V8 Ford, the curious throng overwhelmed the guards and began collecting all manner of souvenirs—from shell casings and shattered glass to pieces of bloody clothing and a lock of Parker's hair. All items from the ambush scene of Bonnie and Clyde remain scarce and highly sought-after, with this particular 'death shirt' button representing an intimate and fragile keepsake from the outlaw duo's violent final moments.
