Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) signature fedora from Steven Spielberg’s action-adventure classic Raiders of the Lost Ark. As iconic as the character himself, the hat worn by Indiana Jones is a globally recognised cinematic treasure. Worn extensively by Harrison Ford, this fedora screen-matches numerous scenes throughout the film, and can be identified due to unique folds in the bow on the ribbon and specific wear and distressing on the felt.

Created by Herbert Johnson Hat Company, the fedora was carefully designed by costume designer Deborah Nadoolman, who worked with Spielberg and producer George Lucas to find a look that harked back to classic adventure heroes.

Made of rabbit felt, the fedora features a dark brown ribbon and a leather sweatband that is imprinted with the Herbert Johnson Hat Company name. The hat is marked a size 7 ¼ (size 58 European). The piece was issued to the production in new condition, before being distressed to achieve a worn look. According to Nadoolman, the fedora was sat upon, wrung repeatedly and treated with bleach and dust to age it. The hat’s inner sweatband is autographed in black marker by Harrison Ford; the signature was obtained after production by a previous owner.

This fedora screen-matches numerous shots and sequences throughout the film, including several filmed at Elstree Studios, such as the Raven Bar sequence, the Well of Souls sequence and the Bantu Wind cabin sequence. It also screen-matches sequences filmed in Tunisia, including the Cairo street pursuit, the Tanis dig and the truck chase. Ford wore this hat during such memorable moments as coming face to face with the king cobra in the Well of Souls, shooting the swordsman in Cairo, fighting the German mechanic under the flying wing and being dragged behind the truck during the truck chase. The unique identifying marks on the hat also allow it to be matched to numerous production photographs.

Raiders of the Lost Ark was nominated for nine Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won five, including Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects. Harrison Ford won a Saturn award for his portrayal of Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones was named the number two hero of all time on AFI’s “100 Heroes and Villains” list, and Raiders of the Lost Ark was named the 10th most thrilling film in the first century of cinema. It was selected by the US Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. On a list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, Empire magazine ranked Raiders number two. It has been cited by numerous film-makers as an inspiration on their careers.

Paired with the fedora are 14 photographs (vintage and modern) and lobby cards for the film showing Harrison Ford wearing the hat. The lot shows some wear due to production use and age, but the hat remains in very fine condition. Dimensions: 33 cm x 30.5 cm x 15 cm (13” x 12” x 6”)

£200,000 - 300,000