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A stunt Tuco sombrero from Sergio Leone's classic epic Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Tuco (Eli Wallach) stole his sombrero, along with a gun and $200, from the Storekeeper (Enzo Petito) as he sought his revenge on Blondie (Clint Eastwood). He wore the sombrero until he and Blondie disguised themselves as Confederate soldiers, most notably when he attempted to hang Blondie, before the building they were in was destroyed by cannon fire. This lot comes from the archives of the Italian costume company Costumi d'Arte.
Although it initially met with mixed reviews, the film is considered by many to be the greatest Western of all time. Wallach was a veteran of Westerns by the time he made the film, but the role of Tuco, aka The Ugly, was the most iconic of his long and illustrious career.
This straw hat was made for the production but differs very slightly from the ones seen on screen worn by Eli Wallach. It was likely worn by Wallach's stunt double Luigi Ciavarro. The crown features a leather eagle decoration, based on the Mexican national emblem, and the sombrero has leather around its brim edge, with a leather chinstrap. The hat has wear from use and age, most notably tearing around the base of the dome. Some of the leather decorations are no longer present, and the leather has shrunk over time.
Additional Provenance: This lot comes from the archives of the famed Italian costume company Costumi d'Arte. The company has been supplying some of the biggest film productions in the world with costumes for over 100 years.
Estimate: £10,000 - 20,000 Ω
View all lots from GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, THE (1966)
View all lots from Costumi d'Arte Collection