When Arnold Friberg began his Mountie art series, it was almost impossible to find accurate reference material in the United States on uniforms and other official gear. Yet, within the limits of his information, Friberg still tried to be as authentic as possible. He went to the picture department of the New York Public Library, a reference room used by artists and illustrators to locate pictures on a vast array of subjects. When he inquired about available pictures of the Canadian Mounted Police, he was presented with a big envelope containing nothing but his own work.