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Kerchiefs |
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| Kerchiefs were more than decoration. They protected the back of a cowboy’s neck from the sun, filtered out dust when worn as a mask, kept his ears warm in cold weather, and, if tied over the hat, kept the wind from carrying it off. In an emergency, kerchiefs also served as temporary hobbles for horses, horse blindfolds, bandages, signal flags, towels, and protection from those hot pans and coffee pots coming off the camp fire. All cotton kerchiefs were red. Even though silk kerchiefs cost more, cowboys often preferred them over cotton ones because the looser weave of silk made them warmer and more efficient dust filters. |  Erwin E. Smith (1886–1947) George Pattullo, writer of Western stories, and a Mr. Sherman Rinehart posed with their horses outside a saloon in Mexico. Sonora, Mexico. 1910 Nitrate negative Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas LC.S59.469 |
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