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George Armstrong Custer Cabinet Card

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
George Armstrong Custer Cabinet Card
A rare and important photograph. This distinctive image taken on or about January 22, 1872, by St. Louis photographer James A. Schoolmen depicts Custer in buckskins, with trapdoor rifle. This scarce original version of Schulte’s photograph was distributed in very small numbers as a tipped-in addition to the Philadelphia Photographer, a small publication distributed to professional photographers of the period. After the famous Battle of the Little Big Horn in which Custer was killed along with his entire command, the image was copied widely in cabinet photo form. These original images are rare, and this example is notated on the reverse in ink “Property Custer Estate” along with the Schoolmen imprint. This is a 6 1/2” x 4 1/4” card with an image size of 5 3/4” x 4 1/16”. Illustrated in “Custer in Photographs” by D. Mark Katz (K-113). The occasion of this photo session (several poses were photographed) was the end of a visit by Russia's Grand Duke Alexis, the Czar’s son. The Grand Duke wanted to go on a buffalo hunt, and had specifically asked for Custer's presence on the hunt. Guiding the group was William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, and the expedition was headed by General Joel Palmer and General Phillip Sherman. Cody had visited with Spotted Tail, Chief of the Brule’ Lakota and he agreed to meet with the Grand Duke. Spotted Tail, War Bonnet, Whistler, Pawnee Killer and approximately 600 Sioux warriors assembled to meet Alexis at the hunting camp.