Golden Gate Western Wear
Home of Knudsen Hat Company
5" Crown
3 1/2" Brim w/ binding
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Can be made in sizes: 6 7/8 - 7 3/4
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Our beloved Jimmy Stewart wore the same cowboy hat and rode the same horse in most of his westerns. Jimmy rode "Pie" in one of his earliest westerns and chose "Pie" as his horse for every movie until Pie died. Jimmy wore the same hat in so many movies it just about died too.Did you know Jimmy Stewart was already a big star by 1941, having earned and Oscar nomination for "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" and the Oscar for "The Philadelphia Story", but he joined the Army Air Corps by march of that year. He knew that war was coming so he signed up nine months before Pearl Harbour and Jimmy Stewart was the first Hollywood personality to join the military.Jimmy rose to the rank of Colonel by wars end and had logged more than 1,800 hours of bomber flight time. He earned the distinguished flying cross among other medals and remained in the air force reserve, eventually becoming Brigadier General James Stewart.When Jimmy returned to Hollywood after the war several studios wanted him for war movies to capitalize on his experience & fame. Jimmy refused to do so and made no war movies.Jimmy Stewart was the real thing. A great American. What a contrast to some celebrities of today.
Winchester '73 (The Movie)Starring Jimmy Stewart
The movie Winchester '73 was released in 1950 and, as the name implies, one of the key elements of the story was an 1873 model Winchester rifle. In 1875 Winchester test fired the barrels of the 1873 models and selected the best to be sold at a premium. The most accurate out of one hundred tested would be marked one of one hundred; The most accurate of one thousand tested would be marked one of one thousand. One of one thousand '73 Winchesters sold for $100 in 1875 The rifle in the Jimmy Stewart Movie was an engraved one of one thousand that he won in a marksmanship contest. The villain wanted that rifle and mayhem ensued as they say. When the movie Winchester '73 was released in 1950 Winchester and Universal Pictures launched a nationwide search for original one of one thousand Winchester rifles. 150, 000 "Wanted" posters were printed and distributed to gun dealers, chiefs of police, newspapers, radio stations, rifle clubs and movie theaters. Over two dozen one of one thousand '73 Winchesters were located and the owners were awarded a new model '94 rifle. All this helped to make the movie, Winchester '73, a hit and the rifle high on the list of collectibles. Today an engraved one of one thousand is priceless so you and I won't likely have one but you can have the movie and it is a must have for a western movie fan or collector. You can also have the Jimmy Stewart cowboy hat and we hope it will be high on your list of collectibles.