Angel Eyes’ hat up for bid on November 9, 2023

 

Propstore Auction: Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction: London 2023

On Nov 9th 2023, The Propstore in London will begin their live auction. Among an incredible selection of original items will be a few very nice pieces from some Eastwood classics. Included among the treasures are:

Lot #166: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966) - Angel Eyes' (Lee Van Cleef) Hat. Bidding for this lot will end on Thursday, November 9th. The auction will begin at 3:00PM BST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Friday, November 10th, Saturday, November 11th or Sunday, November 12th.

 Angel Eyes' (Lee Van Cleef) hat from Sergio Leone's epic spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Angel Eyes (aka "The Bad") was a ruthless mercenary who wore his hat throughout the film, which is widely considered one of the greatest Westerns of all time. Angel Eyes also wears his hat on most of the posters and promotional material from the film's release.

 

The consignor became close friends with Van Cleef and his wife Joan during filming at Cinecitta Studios in Rome. The couple were regular visitors to the consignor's home, and Van Cleef gifted the consignor various personal items, the most prominent being this hat, which as well as appearing in the film, can be seen in relaxed personal family photographs featuring Van Cleef.

Wardrobe items from this iconic movie never usually come to market and this is the first main-character wardrobe item to do so, making it a sought-after piece of cinema history. Van Cleef was a regular in Westerns throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s, appearing in classics such as The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, For a Few Dollars More, Death Rides a Horse, Sabata and many more.

The hat is a black Eddy Bros. bolero with a black band and brown leather sweatband, which is marked "5XXXXX", "Beaver Quality" and "Water Repellent".

The hat is accompanied by a black-and-white photograph of Van Cleef smoking a pipe, which has been inscribed by the actor with "to my friends for life, love Lee Van Cleef", as well as copies of the photographs of Van Cleef and the consignor's family featuring the hat. The hat has some wear from production use and age, including some scuffing. The band has faded over time, and some of the leather has flaked off the sweatband, which remains in a fragile condition. Dimensions: 40.5 cm x 37.5 cm x 10.5 cm (16" x 14 3/4" x 4 1/4")

Estimate: £50,000 - 100,000