The Fur Trade Hat Catalog

Page Three of Four

Four men were playing poker. One man was cheating and had only one eye. Another of the party saw him cheat; he drew his pistol and placed it on the table, saying: "The first man I catch cheating I'll shoot his other eye out."

Courtesy St. Louis Arts Museum

Courtesy Missouri Historical Society

The Trapper - $ 90 Pecan color shown

Traders traveling from St.Louis stopped for a time at Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River before continuing on through Raton Pass to Taos and Sante Fe. This hat has all the dash and spirit of the vaqueros the Missouri traders met there.

This 1839 lithograph shows patrons in a Sante Fe gaming                                                                                                                        house.

General Research and Humanities Div., The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations

The Bridger - $ 90 Coffee color shown

Practical and versatile for a working man (and woman), these hats have stood the test of time. The low crowns and stiff brims provide maximum protection to the wearer, yet keeps their good looks. A hand sewn soft leather sweatband assures maximum comfort. [Larger sizes may have slightly higher crowns.]

The Bodmer painting to the left shows the bridger style being worn by Prince Maximilian during his visit with the Minetarees at Fort Clark.

Karl Bodmer, Paulus Lesser, courtesy Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations

            COPYWRITE 2003 BY CLEARWATER HAT COMPANY

All original material copyright©1998 Clearwater Hat Company