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Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby

"A Pair of Old Friends"

The "Little Silver Charm" Hat and the "Bull Inthe Heather" Hat

For our third auction, Cape Cod milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS^® has chosen the cocktail hat form to create not just one but two stunning one-of-a-kind couture Derby hats to honor a very special pair of Old Friends: Little Silver Charm and Bull Inthe Heather.

The "Little Silver Charm" Hat

More than four full yards of ivory tulle were used to reflect Little Silver Charm's flaxen main and tail. Cut and swirled and carefully sculpted, the tulle was shaped to recreate the free-spirited, free-flowing mop that is one of Little Silver Charm's most distinctive trademarks. Bits of delicate silver hat veiling were added selectively across the front of the hat and in the back to give that hint of "silver" reminiscent of Little Silver Charm's namesake.

A colorful medley of silk organza "feathers", a classic MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS^® trademark, was fashioned out of ivory, cream, and gold organza to reflect the varying tones of Little Silver Charm's flaxen locks as the sun hits them and brings them to their vibrant glowing fullness.

And finally, a single hand-rolled silver organza rose curl provides the central organizing element for the trimmings and is meant to reflect the very heart of Little Silver Charm. The center of the rose is filled with a medley of silver sparkle buttons and a single large pearl button in a gold setting. Small loops of glistening silver braiding add a bit of magic, and variegated bronze and warm chocolate silk leaves cradle the rose and frame it against the swirling ivory tulle layers and organza feathers that surround it.

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The "Bull Inthe Heather" Hat

Bull Inthe Heather, a resident of Dream Chase Farm since 2006, is the most successful son of 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand. Ferdinand's tragic death in a Japanese slaughterhouse in 2001 was a key influence in the creation and development of Old Friends, and so it seemed only right that his most famous son should have a chapeau created in his honor and for his legacy. To read more about this accomplished athlete at Old Friends, please click on the following link - Featured Horse.

To create a cocktail hat befitting this magnificent stallion, a hat of bold design and substance was required. Bull Inthe Heather is most often described as being a cool blue-gray color. Therefore, a pale winter white dupioni silk was chosen to fashion an asymmetrical cocktail design with upturned brim. Varying shades of silver, pale blue-gray, and soft gray trims were added in the form of bows, organza "feathers", ruched silk organza tails, silk florals, and sparkle buttons to capture this fine athlete's now mostly-white coat and striking dark features.

To reflect Bull Inthe Heather's beautiful dark points, an oversized silver dupioni silk bow, lined with pale gray-blue organza, was fashioned and laid across the upturned front brim of the hat.

This dramatic silk bow design provided the perfect backdrop for a stunning organza peony fleur. This delicate, innovative floral design was created by using alternating shades of gray, silver, and pale gray-blue organza for the petals, layered one upon the other, with a stunning center created out of sparkling blue buttons and marcasite jewels.

To capture the graceful, waving action of Bull Inthe Heather's silver-gray mane and tail as the wind blows through them, silver silk organza "feathers" were creatively shaped to convey the idea of movement. To these we added three ruched tails of dark silver, bejeweled gray, and pale gray-blue organza to add one more hint of the powerful energy of this great stallion.

The back of the hat retains all of the sweeping elements of the front of the hat with the addition of a soft, swirling bed of silver and pale tulles which are intertwined around the crown and held in place by the upturned brim.

These two amazing millinery delights are up for bid now from January 1st through January 11th, 2010. At the end of the month, the winning bidder's name will be announced (unless they prefer to remain anonymous) and on February 1st, 2010 the next hat will be put up for bid.

Bid as many times and on as many hats as you like during this running auction. For further information about the eBay bidding process, please contact Old Friends at 502-863-1775. If you don't desire to place a bid on a hat, please contact Old Friends to see about what other ways you might be able to help out at Dream Chase Farm.

Freight charges will be at the expense of the winning bidder. Winning bidders, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of your hat in order to ensure proper sizing.

CONGRATULATIONS once again to Mr. Bruce Dutton of Alabama, the winner of our first Derby hat, the "Black Tie Affair", that was up for bid in November! And CONGRATULATIONS to Helen Shannon of Chicago, the winner of our second Derby hat, the "Commentator", that was up for bid in December!

To view the couture Derby hats that we have had up for bid in former rounds of this exclusive Derby hat auction, please click on the following - Old Friends Hat Auction Portfolio

BID NOW! - Our third Derby hat auction is now underway from January 1st, 2010, through the 11th. To place a bid or to learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the Old Friends website to access the eBay link or call them at 502-863-1775.

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