The navy wool bib shirt worn by General Custer in one of his most famous photographs is to sell at Heritage Auctions' June 22-23 Legends of the Wild West Signature Auction in Dallas.
 The shirt has passed through some of the most famous collections of Custer memorabilia |
The shirt is expected to sell for $25,000+. It is clearly visible beneath Buster's buckskin jacket in the ubiquitous photograph in which he poses with an elk he has shot during his 1873 Yellowstone Expedition.
He also wore the item in the historic 1874 expedition to the Black Hills, in which large deposits of gold were discovered, triggering the famous gold rush that would last for the remainder of the decade.
Following his death, the shirt was then passed by Custer's wife, Libby, to his orderly. It was later obtained by William O Taylor, a 7th Cavalry veteran, who became one of the earliest collectors of Custer memorabilia.
 Custer's expedition into Yellowstone triggered the Sioux Uprising of 1876, which would lead to his death at Little Bighorn |
Between 1882 and 1920 Taylor donated an array of his items to the Pocumtuck Valley Historical Association's museum, including the shirt in 1885. It was then bought by the famous Custer collector Alex Acevedo, completing its fantastic provenance.
Also selling in the auction will be a lock of Custer's hair, which also comes with quality provenance, having been part of the Charles Custer Family Collection as well as that of Acevedo.
Selling at $10,000+, the lock was given by Custer to his wife shortly before Custer left Fort Abraham Lincoln on his last campaign, which would culminate in his death at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
It is one of five braided locks taken from his haircut, which he hoped would save him from being scalped by Native Americans.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has an authentic strand of hair from Geronimo.
