The cowboy is a mythic figure in American life. From his emergence in the west in the late 1800s, he has caught the imagination of young and old alike. His adventures have been the stuff of countless stories, in print and on film. The legends surrounding the old west are told and retold, growing more exciting with each telling, so that it is, at times, hard to separate the myth from the reality.A growing and enthusiastic group of collectors is finding the cowboy and the wild west an exciting area of concentration. In Cowboy Collectibles and Western Memorabilia, Bob Ball and Edward Vebell, focus on the reality of the cowboy's life. While not immune to the myth, here you will find the artifacts that were essential to life in the west. They include rifles, pistols, saddles, clothing, boots, hats, blankets, gun rigs, and even barbed wire.This is the gear that the ordinary cowpoke used, wore, rode upon, ate from, and slept under. And while these items are becoming increasingly scarce, much of the equipment and clothing shown here can still be found at reasonable prices, if one is willing to search the antique shops, the flea markets, and tag sales. Surprisingly, collectors are almost as likely to find it in the east as in the west.For the lover of old west and the collector of its artifacts, this is a wonderful book that helps make an era come alive. A price guide is included.