Justus
Barnes is the cowboy shooting at the camera at the end of
the 1903 ground-breaking movie; TheGreat Train
Robbery. Images from the movie also can be seen at the
intro to Tombstone with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.
Broncho Billy Anderson may have emerged as the first movie
star because of this film, but it's this image that people
most often remember.
If
you've tried to visit us
or return to our website in the last week or two, you
may have had problems. On Jan 18 2012 we switched web
hosts and unfortunately that address change takes many
weeks to get updated across the Internet. Hopefully the
worst is behind us and we want to thank you for your patience!
Since
the Dawn of Cinema
the Western has been the greatest ongoing saga in film
history. The first true motion picture was a western (naturally!)
made by Thomas Edison's Company in 1903, called The
Great Train Robbery. With the debut of the brilliant
remake of the classic John Wayne western: True Grit,
starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, and Matt Damon
- the Western Movie has marked more than a century of
substantiating the iconic status of the Cowboy and the
Western Story.
Custom
Movie Hats from The Last Best West
For
more than 60 years many
of the best western drama's have been filmed in and around
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Like AMCs outstanding new western
series, Hell on Wheels, most of which was
filmed within an hours drive of where we are in The
Last Best West. Other powerful western drama's
like River of No Return; Unforgiven, Legends
of the Fall, Open Range, Crossfire Trail,
Monte Walsh, Lonesome Dove (the series), Broken
Trail, Speilberg's mini-series, Into the West,
and the Brad Pitt western; The Assassination of Jesse
James by the Coward Robert Ford, are just a few of
the dozens of western's that have been filmed here.
Authentic
Designs from The Last Best West
We take our western heritage seriously and work hard at
preserving the qualities that made it great. Our custom
hats are made the old west way - one at a time, and believe
if you want that perfect western movie hat - you should
be able to get the
same looking hat that the character wore. We start with
the best fur-felt hat body available - made in the USA
- and with the skill of our master hatter fashion as fine
a custom western hat as you can find. Click
for everything you need to know :: Our
Hat Expert ::
Testimonials
For
a complete listing of all our hats - click
this link for our online catalogue. The
Last Best Cowboy Hat. One of a kind Fur-Felt Art. Our
standard delivery is still 6-8 weeks for our Custom Hand
Made Cowboy Hats.
Order
your hat today and receive in time for Easter.
Questions
and quote requests should be e-mailed to
ORDERS CALL TOLL FREE: 1-866-207-1909. ::
Overseas
buyers please read this :: All
Our Contact Info ORDER
DESK HOURS: M-F: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM MOUNTAIN TIME. IF YOU
GET VOICE MAIL LEAVE A MESSAGE!
Click pics for larger
image - then expand.
Broken
Trail Cowboy Hat
Crown:
Modified Cavalry Crease
Brim: pencil rolled - Open
Hatband: 3/4" 3 braid leather Color shown: Dyed Natural
100X- 100% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $615.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $650.00 USD Order
Now | Checkout
At
right is the June 2006 cover of Cowboys and Indians.
Robert Duvall's sporting his latest Custom Movie Hat
from the miniseries; Broken Trail, filmed in
and around The Last Best West.
Prefer
Duvall's Custom Western Hat from the mini series Lonesome
Dove? click here.
The
production company had 7 hats made for Mister Duvall's
character in Broken Trail, in 20X fur-felt,
and in a natural color. In 5X the closest to natural
is sahara.
Please
Note: Our logo is only on the images NOT the hats.
Click pics for larger image - then expand.
Tom
Harte
Crown:
Modified Cavalry Crease
Brim: heavy roll on right - Bound Color shown: Pecan
100X - Pure Beaver Fur Felt.
Hatband: 1 1/2" satin ribbon and bow.
Broken
Trail from HBO starts off as a pretty simple story.
An uncle {Robert Duvall} wants to fix things between
his dead sister and her estranged son {Thomas Haden-Church}.
Prentice Ritter takes his nephew and 500 fine
horses north to sell to a horse broker for a big profit,
of which Tom Harte stands to get a good share
of. Very little goes smooth, and after the men liberate
some newly arrived young Chinese women, from a life
in a brothel, their situation takes a turn for the dangerous.
It's compelling story telling, in the hands of a master
director; Walter Hill. Filmed in The Last Best West
the scenery is spectacular and the acting stellar, and
the story never tires from the telling. Good men standing
up and doing the right thing.
Wooden
Hat Stretcher/Retainer
FITS SIZES 6 7/8 - 8
We
recommend all customers who buy our hats, get a hat
stretcher. Its a small cost for a tool that will keep
ALL your hats fitting properly. As well, if you only
wear your hat seldom; or have a number of hats you
wear, you will find our wooden hat stretcher a valuable
addition to maintaining the perfect shape of your
custom cowboy hat.
Order
any hat in PURE BEAVER {100X} fur-felt and we'll include
a wooden hat stretcher at no extra cost. New hat purchases
only.
Order
with your hat
Our hat customers pay only $19.50 when they buy a
stretcher with their hat. You can easily add the hat
stretcher to your custom cowboy hat order during the
checkout process.
HAT
STRETCHER FITS SIZES 6 7/8 - 8. PRICE: $25.00 :: Shipping:
$13.00 | TOTAL: $38.00 USD Order
Now | Checkout
Wild
Bill Jeff
Bridges hat from Wild Bill (1995) Crown:
Open Brim: Kettle Curl; Saucy roll on left
- Bound Color shown:
Bone in 50% Beaver Fur Felt. Hatband: 1" satin ribbon and bow.
100X- 100% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $670.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $705.00 USD Order
Now | Checkout
Jeff
Bridges may bare the best physical resemblance
to the
historical James Butler Hickok, and
stands tall as Hickok in Walter Hill's Wild
Bill (1995)
Wild
Bill from Director Walter Hill has a story
that has little to do with historical fact, and
the movie has a sad underlying tone throughout.
Perhaps it was necessary to get across Hickok's
alleged morose nature in the last years of his
life; however you get the impression that Hill
wanted to craft a western version of Shakespeare's
Hamlet. We can't see twisting history for
a movie, and we doubt it will make people remember
your story. They will, but for likely all the
wrong reasons. Super hats tho. . . Click
here for Keith Carradine's Hickok hat from HBO's;
Deadwood.
FRONTIER
FUR FELT
The Dodge
City shown at right is made
with long hair Beaver fur-felt. Some call
it SHAGGY some call it GRIZZLY, we prefer
the name FRONTIER fur-felt to describe it,
as this is unsanded, and would have been
what the very first beaver fur-felt would
have been like.
You've
likely seen this look before in a western
movie. You can generally spot a long haired
fur-felt in most of the westerns filmed
in the 1930s and 40s. Errol Flynn wore it
in several of his western movie's. Click
for more about our Dodge City Hat.
Has
all the same characteristics as our fine,
standard hat bodies - just a longer finish
to the fur of the hat.
You
can request Frontier Fur Felt for any of
our hats, when your hat details are confirmed
with Sonja, within a day of your purchase
being made.
No extra charge.
Questions
and quote requests should be e-mailed to
ORDERS CALL TOLL FREE: 1-866-207-1909.:: Overseas
buyers please read this :: All
Our Contact Info ORDER DESK HOURS: M-F: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM MOUNTAIN
TIME. IF YOU GET VOICE MAIL LEAVE A MESSAGE!
Custom
Made For. . . .
All
our custom western hat's are personalized with
your name, initials, or moniker stamped in gold
foil on the sweat band, inside the crown. No
additional charge.
Exceptional
Service from The Last Best West
You'll get expert personal service designing
your Traditional Old West, or Classic Western Movie Hat. If
you don't see what you want - send us a picture - and
we'll make our version of that hat.
Questions? E-mail us at:
Everett
Hitch Viggo
Mortensen's hat from Appaloosa Crown: Telescope
Brim: Pencil rolled; Hand worked Bound
Hatband: 1" Satin with bow. Color
shown: Dyed Natural in 100X. {Movie
hat is Pecan.}
This
big hat could have been copied from our Hickok.
To get the dimensions right for the Everett
we start with an oversized hat body, and work
the hat from there. If you wish a windstring,
you can add it during the check out process.
Virgil
Cole Ed
Harris' hat from Appaloosa Crown: Homburg
dent
Brim: Hand worked Bound
Hatband: 1 1/2" Satin with bow. Color
shown: Black in Pure Beaver.
We
found the 2008 movie by Ed Harris; Appaloosa,
to be very entertaining. The story is quite
different from most westerns and the acting
is excellent.
This
hat is a an adjusted version of a basic Boss
of the Plains style cowboy hat. Add a homburg
dent to the crown and give a nice dip to the
front of the brim and there she be. Pretty close
to a Fort Bragg version of the US Cavalry Hat
from the 1870s.
The
LaBoeuf
Crown:
Slight side pinch, top dent.
Brim: Hand Rolled Open
Hatband: Custom 1" dark leather with
2 buckles. Color:
Sahara in pure beaver fur-felt
The Coen Brothers remake of True Grit
is a fine retelling of a favourite western from
1969 that featured John Wayne's Oscar winning
performance. This True Grit is
much "Grittier" than the original
and has fine performances from the entire cast
of Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee
Steinfeld, and Canadian Barry Pepper. Movie
hat is undyed natural.
Purgatory John
David Souther's Jesse James hat Crown:
Texas Flat :: Hatband:
1" Satin with bow.
Brim: 1/2" Pencil Roll with gentle
hand roll. Bound
Edge Color:
Silver
Mist in pure
beaver. Movie hat is charcoal.
Purgatory
is a little gem of a movie, quite entertaining,
with an original and interesting story.
For a made for TV Movie, it has a number
of top flight actors like Sam Shepard,
Randy Quaid and Eric Roberts. The movie
moves along at a good pace, has some interesting
twists and the costuming is great.
Our
Brooks or Jesse James hat is stylish
enough to wear with a good suit of clothes,
and also looks sharp dressed down with
a range cowboy's outfit. Just add horse!
The
Good, The Bad
The Blondie Sharpshooter Hat Crown:
Telescope
Brim: Hand worked with a 1/2" pencil roll
Open
Hatband: 3 twists of latigo lace. Color:
Sahara with optional light Trail Dust
Eastwood
wears a straw version of this hat, early in
the iconic western; The Good, The Bad, and
the Ugly. We don't do straw so here it is
in fine pure beaver fur felt. We start with
an oversized hatbody, to make this hat - and
it ain't ugly!
Blondie
and Tucco are partners working a con,
and Eastwood wears this hat as he squints
down his long arm before shooting the hangman's
rope holding Eli Wallach.
Our
hats off to Rob Mather in New Zealand!
for ordering the 1st one!
Old
West Fact
After the American Civil War there
wasn't much hard currency on the western frontier.
As a result most saloons would trade a small glass
of whiskey for a gun cartridge - as they were valued
the same; 12 cents. Soon cowboys started calling
these small glasses of whiskey a "shot".
So the next time you're in a bar and the waitress
asks you if you'd like a shooter - try trading a
cartridge for it!
Josey
Wales
Crown:
Slight front pinch, Pecan top.
Brim: 1/2" Kettle Curl Bound
Hatband: 1" satin ribbon/with Cavalry Cord Color
as shown: Bone with heavy soiling
What a movie. Even if you've watched The
Outlaw Josey Wales 50 times, the conversation
between Josey and Ten Bears, near
movies end, still moves you. Canadian, Chief
Dan George, has a memorable supporting role,
and Eastwood has often said this is his favourite
western.
Our
version of the Josey Wales has a bound
brim edge and a satin ribbon and bow for the
hat band, with the cav cord slid over it. You
can choose white, yellow, black, or red for
your cavalry cord. Inset picture shows the hat
with no soiling - make your selection during
the checkout process.
FOLKS!
CAVALRY CORDS AND HAT BANDS ARE NOT SOLD SEPARATELY
- ONLY WITH OUR HATS.
COWBOYS
AND INDIANS MAGAZINE
Our thanks to Cowboys
and Indians Magazine for giving
us a shout out in your Christmas Issue. We're
flattered our Josey
Wales hat was featured in the Holiday
Gifts for the Western Fan, section
of the December 2009 issue. Yer show exquisite
taste!
Hang
'Em High
Crown:
Slight front pinch, Pecan top.
Brim: 1" Kettle Curl Open
Hatband: 1/2" satin ribbon tied off cavalry
style. Color
as shown: Sahara in 50% Beaver
This was Clint's first big budget movie after
doing his Spaghetti Westerns. Mistaken for a
horse thief, he's hung, only to be cut down
by a US Marshall, before he could choke
to death. After he's absolved of his guilt by
Judge Parker he takes a Marshall badge and goes
after the men who did it.
Our
hat has a kettle curled brim, we'll be happy
to make it flat like Clint's movie hat. We confirm
all hat details within 1 business day of the
order being placed.
OUR
MOST COMMON HAT QUESTION
Q: I'm looking for a ____ Hat. I checked your
product
catalogue and didn't see it. Can you make
it?
A: Yes. As I'm sure you can appreciate it's
just not possible to show all the different
variations of crowns and brims. If it's made
from fur-felt and you can supply us a good
picture - yes we can make it. Generally we
already carry the same style of hat, we just
shape it based on the photo or if it's a movie
hat we shape it from watching the movie and
seeing the hat from all possible angles to
get the look just so. We can do up to a
7" (inch) high crown and a 6" wide
brim. Click
for our other most common questions.
1898
Bow
This
was a common bow style of the 19th
century. If you prefer this bow style
for any of our hats, just request
it when your hat details are confirmed
via e-mail.
LADIES
BOW
Back in the 19th century and the first
4 decades of the 20th century, when
hats were a very common part of every
day dress, women's hats had the bow
on the right hand side. If you want
the bow on the right - request it
when your hat details are confirmed
via e-mail.
FOLKS!
CAVALRY CORDS AND HAT BANDS
ARE NOT SOLD SEPARATELY - ONLY WITH
OUR HATS.
Why
should men have all the fun?
Over
the years, many of the wives and
girlfriends that have ordered
hats for their cowboys, have asked
when we were going to do some
strictly ladies hats. - so here
we go, and remember ladies; back
in the day all women's hats had
the bow on the right.
Exceptional
Service from The Last Best West
Ladies, we will
give you expert personal service
designing your Traditional Old
West, or Classic Western Movie
Hat. If
you don't see what you want -
send us a picture - and we'll
make our version of that hat.
Where'd
those great Cowboy Hats from the Western Movies
come from?
Many were versions of traditional cowboy hats
from the 1800s - but most were from the imaginations
of the early movie stars like Tom Mix. The old
"B" Westerns from the 1930s and 40s
were rife with grandiose Cowboy Hats. Many
of today's most popular mass produced cowboy
hat designs were first seen in the Movies.
A
still from a silent western from the 1920s.
Notice the "Sugarloaf" Western Sombrero
on the left. This shape was the transition
from a straight sombrero to the Cowboy Hat.
The actor in the middle is wearing a version
of our "Champie"
Nothings
new under the Sun! Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp
in My Darling Clementine {1946} The
shape of his Cowboy Hat is almost the same
as hats in later Western Movies: The Man
Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Open
Range.
A
young Ben Johnson with a great Character
Hat in the classic western, She Wore
A Yellow Ribbon {1949}
Alan Ladd as "Shane" {1953} wearing
a gunfighter style cowboy hat similar to our
version - the Hidalgo.
Indiana Jones
- Classic Adventure hat
Crown: fedora pinch |
Brim: hand rolled - Open
Hatband: 1" Satin ribbon w/bow OR
leather. Color
as shown: Pecan in 20X Fur-felt
A
classic fedora crown with a rakish curve to
the brim brought this old hat back into public
favor with the enormously popular Indiana
Jones movies. With a tighter pinch, bound
edge and a kettle curl you get the look shown
by Gerald McRaney as George Hearst in Deadwood.
Our
Adventure Hat has a wider brim then Indies'
standard 2 3/4" wide fedora style - for
better sun protection, and would be more of
the look favoured by the Hosts/Archeologists
of all those outdoor/adventure shows on TV.
So if you are a a "Raider of the Lost
Ark" at heart this hat may be just
your thing. If you want the brim narrower, or
wider, with a pencil roll; bound edge or not,
just ask.
An
oversized version, with tighter pinch, and larger
bound brim was worn by Hugh Jackman in Van
Helsing. And NO we don't do this
hat in leather. And consider this: A leather
hat is next to useless in continued heavy weather,
and would be even hotter than a fur-felt hat.
Choose a 1/4" 2 braid leather or satin
ribbon and bow for the hatband during the checkout
process.
The
Tristan
Crown:
Slight pinch in front, Pecan top.
Brim: Hand Curl Open
Hatband: 1/4" Leather braid. Color
as shown: Sahara; same as movie hat.
Legends of the Fall is an excellent western
story filmed in and around the Kananaskis area
of The Last Best West. His role as Tristan
made Brad Pitt a star, and sent him on
a collision course for Angelina Jolie. A great
looking hat for any and all occasions.
The
Decker
Crown:
Modified 3 pinch cavalry.
Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: 1/2" Satin with 1898 bow. Color:
Chocolate in pure beaver Frontier fur-felt.
Decker
in Legends of the Fall is the ranch hand;
married to Pet, and father of Isabel
Two, who Tristan Ludlow marries.
There's a powerful scene near movies end of
Decker waiting patiently for the Cop
who carelessly fired his machine gun, who's
ricochet killed his daughter.
Our
hats off to Joshua Anthony
for ordering the first one.
The
Alfred
Crown:
Modified Cattleman.
Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: 11/2" Satin with bow Color
as shown: Chocolate brown
Aidan Quinn ably portrayed the oldest son, Alfred,
in Legends of the Fall - another excellent
western movie filmed in and around Calgary.
The fore father of the Open Road crown shape,
this hat looks good anywhere you might like
to wear it. Movie hat has a 1898 bow.
The
character, Alfred Ludlow, was the eldest of
the three brothers, and constantly seeking his
father's favor. Alfred grew to be a successful
business man, and later a politician, who married
the woman his other brother's couldn't.
Freshen
the look of your favorite old hat
with a new custom hat band from The
Last Best West. Introduced
in the spring of 2011 our hatbands
are all made by hand, and have that
authentic Cowboy flavor to help you
stand out from the herd. We still
won't sell the custom hat bands that
go with our great hats, but here's
a selection of 8 original hatband's
to help you make your own statement.
We've
adapted a horn slider so every hat
band ties off at the back and is held
in place by light pressure. It's surprising
fast and you can easily take our hatband
off and put it on a different hat.
This design innovation gives a dang
fine fit every time. :: Custom
Hatbands
Questions
and quote requests should be e-mailed to
ORDERS CALL TOLL FREE:
1-866-207-1909. :: Overseas
buyers please read this :: All
Our Contact Info ORDER
DESK HOURS: M-F: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM MOUNTAIN
TIME. IF YOU GET VOICE MAIL LEAVE A MESSAGE!
Our
standard delivery is still 6-8 weeks for our
Custom Hand Made Cowboy Hats.
What
you need to know to order with confidence
On our fact page you'll learn
about fur felt, see available colors, and
see step by step instructions for measuring
your head, ordering your custom hat, shipping,
and our refund policy. We also have a section
on general hat care, and Cowboy Hat Etiquette.
(not to be missed!) Click
here for all our Cowboy Hat Facts.
If you want the best - order 100X . . .
Order
your hat today and receive in time for Easter.
Click
the color for an example of a hat in that
color.
A
Note about Color Color
variances caused by individual computer
monitors are beyond our control. Light
colors will reflect heat the best
- while dark colors will retain the
heat the most - with black being the
worst for staying hot (black absorbs
sunlight). However black is the most
formal color so bowlers and top hats
were generally black or dark gray.
For the first 15-20 years cowboy hats
were marketed - your choice of color
was black and about 3 shades of brown.
Texas
Jack Vermillion
Crown:
Open - Uncreased
Brim:
Front Roll - flat Bound
Hatband: Custom 1"
satin ribbon and bow.
Color shown: Undyed Natural
in Pure
Beaver Fur-felt
Comes with our custom
Wind
String
Nothing
too complicated about
this hat. A classic Boss
of the Plains,
with a roll on the front,
bound edge and windstring.
What sets this hat apart
is the attitude of the
fella wearing it.
Peter Sherayko is dynamite
as Texas Jack, in 1993's,
Tombstone
Custom
Cowboy Leather
Hand-made
custom gun
leather, that most every old
west cowboy and wrangler would have
needed to be a real Buckaroo.
All
our Cowboy leather has been researched
and designed; tried and tested by
Longfellow
in Old West Shows and at Cowboy
Action Shoots.Our holsters;
belts and chaps are based on pictures
from museums, archival photos and
mail order catalogues from the Old
West Era: The late 1800s and early
decades of the 20th century.
Johnny
Ringo
Crown:
off-kilter telescope :: Brim:
Open
Hand worked
Hatband: Black
1 inch satin with bow. c/w custom Wind
String wrapped over the ribbon:: Color:
Black
Hats
in the old west shipped with a satin ribbon
and bow for the hat band and cowboys would often
add their own hat band and just slide it over
the existing satin one. The costume designers
of Tombstone, went to great lengths making
sure the hats were period correct and unique.
Our
custom Ringo hat has the same off kilter crown
as the movie hat, and the same rakish upturn
to the right side of the brim. Instead of the
braided horse hair band that's sported in the
movie, we've chosen to wrap our custom wind
string, around the existing band.
A
20X sand colored Doc Holliday custom hat made for
a theatre company in Nashville.
Doc
Holliday
Crown:
Fedora top and pinch
Brim: Bound
Hand worked, left side curled higher.
Hatband: Black 1 inch satin with bow. Color
in Black 5X Fur-felt with medium soiling.
Most
people would agree that there are many excellent
performances by the actors in Tombstone,
but undoubtedly the best of the best was Val
Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
Doc's
adversary amongst the Cow Boys, of course, was
Johnny Ringo. So naturally Doc's hat is the
opposite of Johnny's. The fedora working to
the crown suggests culture and education, and
the left turn up on the brim infers a dangerous
bent to his personality. In real life and in
the movie Doc straddled the line between good
and bad, but he always stood by the few men
he called friends.
Did
Doc kill Johnny Ringo as portrayed in the movie?
It's highly unlikely as history puts Doc in
a different town the day Ringo was found dead
in a grove of trees with a bullet in his forehead.
Curly
Bill
Crown:
Open
Brim: Heavy front upturn, hand worked Bound
Hatband: Custom leather with conchos - shown
with optional Wind String.
Color
shown: Sand in Pure Beaver.
Want an attitude? Put this baby on. You'll find
yer strut is a little tighter, your snarl a
little meaner. A great attention getter for
a show hat, regardless of the company you keep.
Powers Boothe set new standards for the "Laughing
Cowboy", in Tombstone, portraying
Curly Bill close to what history knows about
him. Most everybody liked Curly Bill, especially
the Soiled Doves who gave him his nickname for
his curly hair.
Powers
Boothe as Curly Bill Brosius in the excellent
western movie, "Tombstone"
Click pics for larger image
- then expand.
Movie
hat is sand.
This is one massive hat - easily one of the largest
we make. This puppy has a 6 inch crown with a 5 1/2
inch brim.
Click
pics for larger image - then expand.
Little
J
Stephen Baldwins' hat from Posse
{1993}
Crown:
Modified Cavalry pinch
Brim: Hand rolled heavy dip front and back Open
Hatband: 1 1/4" distressed leather Color:
Black with optional medium trail
dust.
Here's
an example of a client teaching us about a hat
style. Thanks to Bill Ingalsbe we found out
this hat style is based on the Civil War era
"Andrews hat" designed to fold in
half for easy packing. This odd hat style is
said to have originated in 1850s Texas. FYI:
Our hat is NOT meant to be folded!
Mario
Van Peeples' movie Posse {1993} has a
simple - yet muddled story line. After the Spanish-American
war a company of mostly black soldiers follow
their leader out west to avenge the murder of
his father. The movie moves at the frantic pace
of a rock video, sacrificing story and character
for a highly stylized look. Lots of cool hats
though. . . .
Our
hats off to Ant Done in Australia for ordering
the first one - good on yeah mate!
Trail
Dust
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 heavy (add $95.00). Light would be what
you see at the left on the Dusty Augustus;
medium would be like the dusting on the Rossiter; and heavy trail dust
looks like our Josey
Wales.
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.
Quigley
Up Yonder
Crown:
Modified Cattleman
Brim: Hand Rolled
Open
Hatband: Custom 1 1/2" Leather.
Color as shown: Dyed Natural in 50%
Beaver Fur-felt
Comes with custom Wind
String
We
start with an oversized hat body to
make this big hat. High crown and big
brim it was popularized by Tom Selleck
(Movie hat is a bone color.) in the
good western movie, Quigley Down
Under. This beauty comes with custom
1 1/2" leather hat band and custom
wind string.
Last
Stand at Saber River
Tom Selleck's Paul Cable hat.
Crown:
Modified Sagebrush
Brim: Hand Rolled
Bound
Hatband: 1/4" cord with cavalry
tie. Color shown: Bone
in Pure
Beaver fur-felt
Shown with optional Windstring,
medium trail dust
Last Stand at Saber River is
set just after the Civil War and deals
with simple motivations. A man trying
to protect his family and keep what's
his. With an ambitious side story on
the very thorny issue of North/South
sensibilities.
The
story moves along at a good pace with
a strong cast. Throw in some Old West
action, horses and the scenery of New
Mexico, and you have a winning combination.
Chet
Crown:
Modified 3 dent Sagebrush
Brim: Hand Rolled Open
Hatband: 1 1/2" satin Ribbon and Bow.
Color: UnDyed Natural in Pure
Beaver Fur-felt
This
movie hat is from a remake of a good western
from 1970 with Lee Marvin as Monte Walsh.
As good as that movie was this one with Tom
Selleck as Monte Walsh is better. Filmed
here in The Last Best West in 2003 this is the
hat style that Keith Caradine as Chet
wore in the movie. We start with an oversized
hat body to make this hat. Caradine's movie
hat is a black color.
Indian
Riffle Sheaths: Mountain men and trappers
were the first whites to wander the wild places
of the west, and they soon learned the value
of fine leather work from the Indians.
Four
different quality levels to choose from. Show
your style and carry your prized long-arm
in a classic Indian rifle scabbard.
We
promise to make no two custom pieces exactly
the same - and our originality and individuality
bring clients back time and again to our order
catalogue.
The
Rifleman
Chuck Connors' Lucas
McCain hat.
Crown:
Modified Cavalry
Brim: Hand Rolled
Open
Hatband: Custom 1 1/4" Leather.
Color as shown: Whiskey in 5X
Beaver Fur-felt
Chuck Connors was deadly with his big
loop Winchester Model 1892 and filled
the screen as Lucas McCain in
the classic TV. western; The Rifleman.
{1958-1963}
Only 12 men have played pro Basketball
and Baseball. Chuck Connors was one
of them. His long acting career began
in 1952, and he never got a better role
than that of rancher, and single father,
Lucas McCain.
Randolph
Scott's western mystic is so powerful it was mocked
in the hilarious Mel Brooks parody; Blazing Saddles;
"You'd do it for Randolph Scott!" lamented
the Sheriff when the townsfolk refused to help him.
The
Tall T
Randolph Scott's favourite
cowboy hat. Crown:
Modified pecan top with cavalry pinch.
Brim: Hand rolled and shaped Open
Hatband: 1/2" braided buckskin/w
custom windstring. Color: Silver Mist
in pure
beaver
Born
in Virginia and raised in North Carolina,
Randolph Scott was one of Hollywood's
top leading men in the 1940s and 50s.
The handsome, craggy faced actor was one
of the few movie stars who specialized
in a certain type of film. For Scott it
was the western, where he often played
the tough as nails, morally strong hero
who stood up to the thugs with a stoic,
calmness. "Westerns are a type
of picture which everybody can see and
enjoy."
This
hat style was Scott's favourite and can
be seen in many of his best Westerns,
like, Seven Men from Now (1956)
with Lee Marvin, and Comanche Station.
(1960)
Randolph
Scott was an oddity for a movie star.
He avoided publicity, and at times seemed
to detest it. Smart investments made
Scott a multi-millionaire, so after
the Sam Peckinpah western classic, "Ride
the High Country" (1962) he
retired from films and public view at
the age of 64.
Questions
and quote requests should be e-mailed to
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FOLKS!! HATBANDS ARE NOT FOR SALE SEPARATELY -
ONLY WITH OUR HATS.
A
Paladin was an elite Medieval Knight. In Have
Gun Will Travel; Paladin - operating
from his base at the Carleton Hotel in San Francisco
- traveled the west solving mysteries and championing
right.
The
Paladin
Have Gun Will Travel
Gunfighters' Hat
Crown:
Modified Telescope
Brim: Kettle curl - hand rolled Open
Hatband: Custom 1 1/4" black OR
brown leather with 4 concho's. Color shown:
Black in 100% beaver fur-felt.
We
took great pains to watch a number of
episodes of Have Gun Will Travel,
and saw the Gunfighter hat worn by Richard
Boone, from all angles. Early publicity
stills {bottom right} show a different
brim and crown working. As the series
and character became more refined - so
did the hat. Our standard hat is the one
Boone wears throughout the majority of
this {1957-1963} popular series. If you
prefer the other look - just ask. All
hat details are confirmed with Sonja within
a day of your order being placed.
An
ageing Randolph Scott was first offered
the role of a Knight of the Old West.
Richard Boone ended up with the part
of Paladin, in Have Gun Will
Travel; which became his signature
role.
The
Josh
Wanted Dead or Alive Hat
Crown: Telescope :: Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: Custom 3 braid 1/2" buckskin leather.
Color as shown: Chocolate with medium soiling.
The 1950s have been called the Golden Age of
the Western, with good reason. Featured films
and TV were rife with western stories and plots.
Wanted Dead or Alive debuted during these
years, and established a young Steve McQueen
as an up and coming actor.
McQueen
played Josh Randall and his gimmick was
a sawed off winchester lever action rifle as
a side arm. Randall was a bounty hunter
with a conscience and was cool, when cool was.
. .well. . .cool.
Steve
McQueen was a box office heavy weight in the
1960s and 70s and played a number of memorable
western characters. Josh Randall the
Bounty Hunter was one of them.
Nevada
Smith
Crown: Modified Cattleman
Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: Custom 2 braid 1/4" leather.
Color as shown: Sand in pure beaver.
A gritty, revenge type western, with Karl Malden
playing a nasty outlaw leader who's gang kills
McQueen's parents.
Brian
Keith plays the world-wise mentor who teaches
McQueen to handle a pistol, and sets him up
with the skills needed to go after Malden's
gang. Good story, good entertainment and some
sharp looking hats.
Tom
Horn
Crown:
3pinch crease. Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: 3 braid rope.
Color shown: Silver Belly in 50% Beaver Fur-felt.
Realistic and gritty this dark, foreboding western
has McQueen playing the tragic figure of Tom
Horn. Hired by the leading citizens of a county
to eradicate rustling, Horn goes about his business
too efficiently, making his employers nervous
for their own safety. When a local teenager
is found shot dead, Horn is charged with the
murder and left high and dry by his former friends.
Richard Farnsworth is excellent in support as
the two faced Cattle Baron; John Coble.
The
crown creasing of this hat is similar to the
Augustus, but it's the hand rolled brim shaping
that gives this movie hat its unique character
and look.
Tom
Horn {1980} was pretty much Steve McQueen's'
last movie. It's somehow fitting that his fame
and fortune started with a western; Wanted
Dead or Alive, and finished with one.
Now
that you've seen our great hats we're sure you'll
want your own Custom Hat - so what are you going
to do with your old one? It'd be a pity to relegate
it to discard.
Jim Beaver as Ellsworth
in HBO's Deadwood.
Our
solution is to rotate it out and make a great
Character Hat. And here's how. Years
ago I read a story about how Tom Mix used to
crease and work all his custom hats himself
in the shower. So I decided to take his advice
and am more than pleased with the results. The
amount of time it takes is up to you. I had
the Ellsworth fashioned in less than 5 minutes
- then a further half hour fine tuning the look.
The steps I went through are pretty simple.
Click
for the rest of the story
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