Howdy Cody
They were mentioned in a couple of the period journals - IIRC they were being outfitted in St Louis and it was one of the authors who was not a mountaineer, but for the life of me I can't remember who??? I need one of those little recorders to keep track LOL!
Ruxton mentions "His broad-brimmed brown beaver hat, with dishevelled nap"
and Irving mentions in his Capt Bonneville - "Hats of the most ample brim and longest nap"
Tim Bender can be reached at -
www.benderhats.com - I had him make mine using this one
benderhats.com/flattopbowler.htmlas the basis with a 4" crown and due to my cabeza larga, I had to settle for a 4.5" brim in Sahara...but Tim can make just about anything you want if you can supply a pic.k
One of my favorite period descriptions is this one
James Kirker was described by one of Doniphan's Missouri Regiment in 1846:
"Fringed buckskin shirt and breeches, heavy broad Mexican hat, huge spurs, all embellished and ornamented with Mexican finery......In addition to a Hawkens rifle elegantly mounted and ornamented with silver inlaid on the stock, he was armed with a choice assortment of pistols and Mexican daggers......
When thinking of sombreros think of the style I posted a pic of above, the style so often seen in movies is a later post 1870-80's style and mostly a Northern Mexico style.
Spurs at this time would be the earlier Spanish Colonial style (
www.gnwtc.com/colonialroom2.htm ) not the later short shank Chihuahua style (http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5751082)
Here's also an inventory of hats posted on the FF board
Inventory on Hats from compiled inventories, lists, etc
in Supply & Demand by Olsen & McCloskey, 2009 pub
page# time period number description
46 1825 Henry's Fork 2 doz naped for Gardner & Williams
90 & 183 1835 upper Mo steamboat Diana 4 doz white wool Amer Fur Co ledger book goods bound for Ft Union
96 1832 Ft Union ?? black
inventory
96 1832 Ft Union ?? black wool inventory
96 1832 Ft Union ?? white inventory
96 1846 Ft Union ?? palm leaf inventory
96 1834 Ft Union 90 black fur inventory
97 1834 Ft Union 24 black wool inventory
97 1834 Ft Union 48 drab wool inventory
144 1836 St Louis 7 fur hats with lace for Grand Pawnees
144 1836 St Louis 4 fur hats for Otto (Otoe) & Missourias
152 1825 St Louis ?? imitation beaver fur Amer Fur Co.
152 1825 St Louis ?? leghorn (straw) Amer Fur Co.
160 Bent's Fort 12 black fur inventory
160 Bent's Fort 3 &1/2 doz black wool inventory
160 Bent's Fort 2 doz white wool inventory
178 May 3 1809 St Louis 15 ??hats delivered to Missouri Company
179 May 3 1809 St Louis 2 straw hats delivered to Missouri Company
BTW - When you did your mission out here where were you at? I live on the So Ute rez just 5 miles north of the Colo/NM line south of Durango on a hill above the the Rio de Las Animas
inventory 
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