George Custer's bib shirt up 127% on estimate at Heritage

US general George Armstrong Custer's bib shirt and a lock of his hair saw some of the highest bids at Heritage Auctions' June 22-23 Legends of the Wild West Signature Auction in Dallas.

Custer bibb shirt
The shirt has passed through some of the most famous collections of Custer memorabilia


The bib shirt sold for $56,762, more than doubling its $25,000 estimate, while the braided lock of his hair made $21,510.

Also selling was a signed photograph of Custer on his Yellowstone expedition, which brought $11,950.

Custer is best remembered for his calamitous efforts at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, which was the most prominent action of the great Sioux war and ended with his death.

However, he had previously achieved a good reputation as an officer in the US civil war, and he also led several important expeditions across America's uncharted territories.

Custer Yellowstone expedition
Custer's expedition into Yellowstone triggered the Sioux Uprising of 1876, which would lead to his death at Little Bighorn


The bib shirt can be seen in one of his most famous photographs, in which Custer poses next to an elk during the Yellowstone Expedition of 1873.

He also wore the thick navy shirt on the historic 1874 expedition to the Black Hills, which led to the discovery of large deposits of gold and triggered the famous gold rush that would last for the remainder of the decade.

The shirt holds strong provenance, having been passed to Custer's wife Libby upon his death and then obtained by William O Taylor, a veteran of Custer's 7th Cavalry who became one of the earliest collectors of his memorabilia.

The lock of Custer's hair was also consigned with excellent provenance. It was once part of the Charles Custer Family Collection, as well as that of Alex Acevedo, one of the most prominent Custer collectors.

It was given by the doomed general to his wife shortly before he left for Fort Abraham Lincoln in preparation for the Battle of Little Bighorn. It is said that he shaved his hair prior to the journey to avoid being scalped, should Native American warriors have killed him.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has an authentic strand of hair from Geronimo.

The auction also featured the $16,730 sale of Jesse James' gun belt, which had arrived with a $10,000 estimate.

A violin once owned by Jim Younger, an associate of James', made $11,950.

Featured products

Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Sale price£399
In stock
Fidel Castro signed certificateFidel Castro Signed Certificate
Fidel Castro signed certificate
Sale price£2,995
In stock
King Henry VIII Autographed DocumentKing Henry VIII Autographed Document
King Henry VIII Autographed Document
Sale price£55,000
In stock