Boss of the Town
Crown: Texas Flat
Brim: Kettle Curl Open
Hatband: 2" Satin with bow.
Color as shown: Natural and Moss

The first Boss of the Plains was sold in Central City Colorado in 1865, and quickly became a marketing marvel. Most everyone in the west had to have one, and Stetson was hard pressed to keep up with the demand. Most people think John B. Stetson invented the Boss of the Plains. He did not. Mister Stetson was a talented promoter and marketer - and there in lay his gift. Christy's Hats of Bristol, England, held the patent on this design and after losing a lengthy court battle, Stetson ended up having to pay a licensing fee to Christy's Hats for the use of the Boss of the Plains design. No fooling.

The Boss of the Town - at top and left - is similar to the one Kurt Russell wears as Wyatt Earp in Tombstone. Flat brim, with no bound edge. The one below has a kettle-curl to the brim and bound edge - like the cowpoke above right. We'll shape it either way, or something different.

5X Price: $265.00  Shipping: $35.00  Total: $300.00  USD Order Now | Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $385.00 | Shipping: $35.00  Total: $420.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $495.00 | Shipping: $35.00 Total: $530.00 | Order Now | Checkout

The Hickok
Crown: Texas Straight
Brim: Pencil Roll Bound
Hatband: 3" Satin with Bow
Color as shown: Black

Another version of the Boss of the Plains - this is our best guess on what Wild Bill was wearing in the picture on the right. We start with an oversized hat body to make this wide brimmed custom hat.

5X Price: $295.00 
Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $330.00  USD

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $420.00 | Shipping: $35.00 Total: $455.00 | Order Now | Checkout

The Wasey
Crown: Three Dent Modified Sagebrush
Brim: Flat Open Hatband: 1" Satin with Bow
Color as shown: Un dyed natural
Shown in 100% beaver fur-felt

Modified Sagebrush shaped crown was one of the most common of the first few decades of the 20th century. Crown shape was first seen in the 1890s. Virtually a Mountie crown but a three dent instead of a four dent. We've modified this look by starting with an oversized hat body. The brim on our hat on the left would be almost twice as wide as seen in the painting and can be  shaped any way you like. Shown here in an Un dyed Natural color in 100% beaver fur-felt. The color is a wonderfully rich looking mid brown, which will fade, become mottled over time, thus becoming just as unique as the owner. Put your mouse over the hunter at right.

Any man that fancied himself a hunter, or a Sporting Man liked this look. Shown below left is a client request: 5X Fur-felt in a sand color antiqued and with a hand curled brim. Now that's trail worn.

5X Price: $340.00  Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $375.00  USD Order Now |  Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $455.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $490.00 | Order Now | Checkout

1898 Campaign Hat
Enlisted Man's Issue
Crown: 4 pinch peak | Brim: Flat - Open
Hatband: 1/2" Satin with bow.
Color as shown: Sand in 20X Fur-felt

The Spanish–American War was a conflict between Spain and the United States of America from April to August 1898. It heralded the emergence of America as a world power and climaxed with Teddy Roosevelt's' charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba. This is the enlisted man's hat. If you want the officers hat - we can do that one as well.

Our hats off to Everett in California for ordering the first one, "Longfellow, Just got the hat and it's perfect! Really great job, like the hat-band too. It's so beautiful I kinda hate to give it the worn out sidekick treatment but I got a feeling I will. Do you suggest the same method you describe on the website ( taking a shower with it )?" Thanks! Everett.

Did you read our ordering procedures?

Old Texas
Crown: Texas Straight
Brim: Kettle Curl Open
Hatband: 1" Leather with studs
Color as shown: Chocolate

The same basic look that Sam Houston shows at the right, some varaition of this design was seen on almost all the actors, in the remake of John Wayne's, "Alamo", starring Billy Bob Thornton, amongst others. This traditional Texas look for a Cowboy Hat was the precursor of the Boss of the Plains, and was well known in the Texas of the 1830s and onward. Order with a flat brim or kettle curled.

The Perfect Cowboy Gift

What every cowboy needs - the perfect Cowboy Hat Stand. The angle of the top of the coffin wonderfully fits the crown of any hat to display your pride and joy in a unique way, with no stress to the brim or crown. Works with the coffin lid open or closed. Box is also large enough to hold most Wine/Liquor bottles, and is excellent storage for your cowboy knickknack's by adding small screw hooks (2 included). Designed to scale as a miniature coffin; the wood box is made of 3/8" pine and is available in a number of finishes: Black, Mahogany, Weathered, and Plain. Shown to the right in mahogany, and above left in weathered and black. These boxes are well-made by hand in Canada, and can even be used to hold candy at Halloween! Contact us for all your wooden packaging needs.

APPROXIMATE SIZE: 14" X 7"

PRICE: $87.00 :: SHIPPING: $15.00 :: TOTAL: $102.00 ::: BUY NOW :: CHECK OUT

Trail Dust
Another customer driven hat service from The Last Best West.

Many customers have been requesting that we dirty up their new hats to make them look trail worn. Pictured at right is a Dusty Augustus - our Augustus with about 2 years worth of trail dust - as if a working cowboy had been wearing it.

We've got three different degrees of trail dust. Light (add $55.00) - medium (add $75.00), and antiquing (add $95.00). Light would be what you see at the right on the Dusty Augustus; medium would be heavy sweat stains, like Tom Selleck sports on the Quigley; and antiquing looks like our Captain York Cavalry Hat.

This is a similar process that costume designers apply to hats in the movies and t. v. Looks authentic and yer friends will swear yer just got off a trail drive, or a hitch in the Horse Cavalry!

You can add trail dust during the check out process - or request it when you call your order in. Orders call toll free: 1-866-207-1909.

Butch Cassidy Bowler
Crown: Round Uncreased | Brim: Kettle Curl Bound
Hatband: 3" Satin with bow.
Color as shown: Black

The Butch Cassidy Bowler (Called a Coke Hat in the 19th Century) to the left is an example of likely the most common headware in the mid to late 1800s in North America. A bowler was worn by all classes of people from butchers in New York to politicians in Washington and the western Outlaw; Butch Cassidy in Wyoming and later; Bolivia.

5X Price: $250.00  Shipping: $35.00  Total: $285.00  USD
Order Now | Checkout | Did you read our ordering procedures?

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $375.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $410.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Classic Top Hat
Crown: Texas Straight | Brim: Kettle Curl Bound
Hatband: 3" Satin with Bow
Color as shown: Charcoal

This was the fashion item that drove the exploration of North America and established the fur-trade. Beaver fur, when mixed with rabbit fur and felt produces a wonderfully waterproof material - ideal for making hats. The Top Hat is a timeless wonder still seen when the Upper Crust mingle at the Opera and other such events. Like the Bowler, the Top Hat was worn by all classes of people and seen most everywhere.

Northwest Peak
Crown: 4 pinch peak | Brim: Hand shaped Open
Hatband: Braided Buckskin
Color as shown: Moss

This 4 pinch peak was first shown in the Northwest in the 1880s. Today most State Troopers wear a version of this crown working and of course the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Rather than showing the military flat brim, like the mounties, troopers and scouts sport - we've chosen to show it with a slight upward sweep - reminiscent of a cowboy hat. We'll shape the brim either way for you - or something completely different.

Did you read our ordering procedures?

Custom Leather Products
Buffalo Hide Rifle Sheath

Indian Style - This soft rifle scabbard is made from garment quality Buffalo hide. Can also be done in standard buckskin color. Has a long "waterfall" fringe, and a fold over weather flap with a bone button for closure against the elements. Decorated with beads and studs. We will e-mail you within 24 hours for sizing and customizing instructions. Price is subject to change - depending on size and add ons requested. This Indian style rifle sheath is in black and was made for a 1901 Winchester Model 1894 32-40 - take down.

Click for our Custom Cowboy Leather