Clyde Barrow's Hat:
This is the tan fedora hat, that Clyde Barrow was wearing, when
he and Bonnie Parker were ambushed and killed, May 23, 1934, near
Gibsland, Louisiana. The hole in the brim of the hat, was caused
by one of the many rounds fired into the couple, while sitting in
their 1934 Ford Sedan.

Bonnie Parker's Hat:
This small sequined cloche hat belonged to Bonnie Parker and was
recovered from the "Death Car" after the notorious Texas outlaws
were killed. This and some other personal items were returned to
the family.

 
BONNIE AND CLYDE`S BULLET-RIDDLED HATS: An incredible pair of crime-related relics,
the actual hats worn by outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker when they were cut-down
in a hail of bullets. In the days before the ambush, accomplice Henry Methvin, tiring
of life on the lam, betrayed the pair to Texas Ranger Frank Hamer and plans were made
to trap the pair. On May 23, 1934 at 9:15 AM, Clyde and Bonnie were driving near Gibsland,
La. when they came upon the truck of Ivy Methvin, Henry's father. Clyde parked his car
beside the truck and got out to see if he could offer any assistance. As he approached
the car, Bonnie noticed movement in the bushes and screamed a warning. Hamer and his men
opened-up with machine guns. Clyde got back in the car to try for a get-away and reached
for his gun, but was shot in the head and several more times on his left side. According
to witnesses, bullets ripped Bonnie's body to "ribbons." The officers kept firing to make
sure the were dead, and when the bodies were examined, over 50 bullet holes were found in
each. We offer here the two hats worn by the occupants when they were shot. Barrow's hat
is a beige fedora with a broad, medium brown hatband, lacking sweatband, with a distinct
bullet hole in the front brim (perhaps caused by the fatal bullet). About 1 1/2" to the
left of the hole is a dark brown stain with a few tiny metal fragments adhering thereto,
and on the left side of the brim there are traces of what was once a copious amount of
blood. Bonnie Parker's hat is a small, blue stretch hat with pale blue sequins, identical
to the type she often wore, but bears two distinct holes which appear to be blood-stained
at the edges. Each hat is accompanied by two original letters of provenance, one from
Clyde Barrow's sister, Marie, notarized, stating her relationship to Clyde, the fact that
the hats were in the possession of the couple when they were killed, and that they were
stored by the family for over sixty years. The other letters of provenance are from the
next owners of the hats, Curator Sandy Jones of the John Dillinger Historical Society who
purchased the hats from Marie Barrow, restates Barrow's provenance, and adds that the hats
were displayed at the National Archives and at the Gerald Ford Museum. The hats were then
consigned to auction and purchased there by our consignor. These are the most fascinating
relics we have offered, and are of museum-worthy importance. $30,000-50,000  

In the latest auction, the death hats of Bonnie and Clyde went for
$32,000. The write-up above, was authored by the seller of the death
hats. The Hideout does not agree with the reference to Clyde's leaving
the car just prior to being ambushed on May 23, 1934.