1860's Hudson Bay Fur Trader's Beaver Hat

Description

American-made beaver felt top hat with Hudson Bay style hand-tooled trade silver "CROWN" band adornment. Intricate tooling including cut out hearts, crown motif, and the silversmith's touch mark, "DV".
The beaver hat has seen better days, as can be seen in the photos. Especially the inside, which carries the gold printed logo of the maker, "J.G. Callio, Carlisle, PA". I found an advertisement for Callio in the April 4, 1872 edition of the "American Volunteer" - Carlisle, PA. It reads, "Do you want a nice hat or cap? If so, don't fail to call on J.G. Callio, No. 20 West Main Street, where can be seen the finest assortment of hands and caps ever brought to Carlisle. He takes great pleasure in inviting his old friends and customers, and all new ones to his splendid shop, just relocated from New York and Philadelphia...."
Scraps of another newspaper, found folded under the inner sweatband are dated 1869, and reference both Philadelphia and Carlisle.
#trapper
#furtrader#mountainman#jeremiahjohnson#cowboy#indian#nativeamerican#hunter#nicebeaver#silver#oldwest#catskills#grizzly#stetson#wampum#steampunk#lewis&clark#millinery