This cloche hat is made from red wool felt and is decorated with a small pin of a mountain climbing ax with a climbing rope coiled around it and a travel souvenir charm attached. The shield charm is a landscape with the word “ Pordoi” printed across the top. This likely refers to the Passo Pordoi, located up high in the Italian Dolomites.
Beatrice “Bebe” O. Haemmerle, owner of the hat, moved to Sun Valley from the Midwest in 1947 and settled. She married the painter and mountaineer, Florian Haemmerle. Florian escaped from Austria in 1929 and traveled to New York with his family, and then Sun Valley. He served in the 87th battalion, Mountain Division during WWII, also known as the 10th Mountain Division.
Wood River Museum of History and Culture, 2002.41.07
