Spring 2024 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
June 7th, 8th, 9th, & 10th, 2024
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
LARGE SAMPLE OF GENERAL GEORGE CUSTER’S HAIR COLLECTED AND BRAIDED BY LIBBIE CUSTER FROM DIRECT DESCENT OF CUSTER FAMILY
02-21442-3
Measuring about 2″ across, 6″ long, with 21 bundles of hair embroidered by Libbie Custer. Hair is contained in silk handkerchief with penciled note in bottom of old box “Gen’l Custer’s hair- from Margaret and Miriam”. Margaret & Miriam Custer were daughters of James Calhoun Custer (1871-1954); son of George Custer’s only surviving brother, Nevin Custer (1842-1915). Neither Margaret or Mariam ever married or left Monroe, Michigan till their deaths in 1957 & 1971 respectively.
“Before Lieutenant Colonel Custer left Fort Abraham Lincoln on his last campaign, his wife had a dream of her husband being scalped by the Indians. Upon her insistence, he cut his hair before his last battle. The locks of hair that he gave his wife were passed down to his descendants””. One of these locks of hair braided identically, but only 1″ wide and only 8 bundles of hairs, was sold by Butterfield’s as Lot 88, April 4, 1995. This same lock of hair was later sold as Lot 44139, Heritage Auctions, June 22, 2013. Another lock of hair is on display at the Monroe County Historical Museum.
UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copy of other sample sold.
PROVENANCE: Direct descent from descendants of James Calhoun Custer; Martin Lane Historic & Western Americana Lifetime Collection.
