More than likely, it is part of an estate sale. I don't have details on why. However, I know that the current owner is NOT a magician. He worked at the theater as a call boy when Soo was shot. He and his father were on the stage with Soo, and cleared the stage when the curtain was brought down. The boy kept the fan as a souvenier and has had it all these years. That's all I know.
As for the gun being confiscated....The death was ruled an accident. And the gun was a real gun that had been made into a prop gun. The gun discharged because of a loose screw which allowed a build up of gunpowder, over time, to find it's way in the main barrel. If Soo had properly cleaned his gun after performances, it would have never happened. Interesting little tidbit here....The audience was almost more shocked at what he cried out than at the fact that he was shot....When the bullet pierced his chest, entered his heart and exited out his back, he shouted, "My God! Something's happened!" The reason for their shock was that this chinese conjurer, supposedly spoke not a word of English. It was then, that the public learned that Chung Ling Soo was NOT Chinese, but American (William Robinson).
And that's your history lesson for the day...Class dismissed (Quiz on Friday)
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