Back to Journal
Inspired by the life and legacy of John Wayne, a new collection of “bar” stars drops!
Written by Jenn Thornton
One of the little-known nuggets of John Wayne’s life is that in addition to the wide range of films he made as one of Hollywood’s biggest and most bankable stars, he lived a life on the range, as well, as the proprietor of 26 Bar Ranch. It’s this legacy that inspired John Wayne Stock & Supply’s latest lineup of ranch-related goods—the limited-edition 26 Bar Ranch collection.
As an actor Wayne was no stranger to a Hollywood cattle call, but actual cattle ranching? Turns out, he knew an awful lot about that, too. At 26 Bar Ranch in Arizona, which Wayne co-owned with neighboring rancher (and good friend) Louis Johnson, Duke didn’t just slap his name on the operation and hand over the reins, he had a clear stake in its success. In one shining example, he brought in a young (and now prominent) animal behaviorist Temple Grandin to implement a groundbreaking cattle chute that was then widely adopted by the livestock industry. In its prime, 26 Bar Ranch owned thousands of acres that were used as grazing land, grew cotton, and raised Herefords.
The 26 Bar Ranch collection tips its hat to Duke’s days at ranch with a range of clothing and accessories, including various cattle and ranch tees showcasing, among other motifs, the 26 Bar Ranch logo—the very same insignia emblazoned on two styles of trucker hats. Accessories also consist of the 26 Bar Filigree Bandana, which draws its artwork from leather tooling on the 26 Bar briefcase presented to John Wayne in 1978 by the Texas and Southwester Cattle Raisers Association, and the 26 Bar Field Notebooks, a three-pack set of pocket-sized notebooks featuring unique photos of John Wayne at the ranch. The 26 Bar Brass Lighter is fire! Brushed in a brass finish, this slick little zippo takes its design from John Wayne’s real-life 26 Bar Ranch belt buckle.
One of the most personal pieces in the collection—the 26 Bar Gold Handle Mug—is based on a long-standing John Wayne tradition. Although stratospherically famous in his day, the native Midwesterner turned Hollywood legend (and die-hard coffee lover to boot!) remained down to earth and a consummate pro. No matter how bright or soaring his star, Wayne was unfailingly generous on set. Just as he carried pre-signed cards to hand out to fans he encountered, Wayne gave gold-handle mugs to the cast and crew on all his films as a “thank you.” While the man may be gone, his spirit lives on in each of these 9 oz. ceramic mugs, only 300 of which were made but all highlighting a hand-painted 12-karat gold handle and a legendary note on the bottom. The logo, meanwhile, is another nod to John Wayne’s 26 Bar Ranch belt buckle. While the 26 Bar Ranch collection is proudly made in the USA, its small-batch offerings won’t last long, making them more prized than Duke’s purebred Herefords. Herd ‘em all for the holidays!
