CUSTER, GEORGE ARMSTRONG
A rare signed carte de visite of General Custer by Mathew Brady. Albumen print, mounted to publisher's card, circa 1865, the photograph by Mathew Brady. 2 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches (6 x 10) cm. Card is worn, bears some spotting and soft creasing, losses to extremities, notably the upper left, Custer's signature in bold ink, Brady's backmark on verso, and a later pencil annotation.
This carte de visite pictures Custer in his field uniform, wearing his iconic broad-brimmed hat. Custer's renown had reached its height by 1865. The Civil War had ended, and he was regarded as a Union hero. The photograph is from a session in Brady's New York studio, and further cemented Custer's image in the national consciousness. In bold ink, his signature reads: "Yours Truly, G.A. Custer, USA."
CUSTER, GEORGE ARMSTRONG
A rare signed carte de visite of General Custer by Mathew Brady. Albumen print, mounted to publisher's card, circa 1865, the photograph by Mathew Brady. 2 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches (6 x 10) cm. Card is worn, bears some spotting and soft creasing, losses to extremities, notably the upper left, Custer's signature in bold ink, Brady's backmark on verso, and a later pencil annotation.
This carte de visite pictures Custer in his field uniform, wearing his iconic broad-brimmed hat. Custer's renown had reached its height by 1865. The Civil War had ended, and he was regarded as a Union hero. The photograph is from a session in Brady's New York studio, and further cemented Custer's image in the national consciousness. In bold ink, his signature reads: "Yours Truly, G.A. Custer, USA."
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Nov 25, 2025
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle’s November 25, 2025 auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps attracted strong global interest, delivering outstanding results and a sale total that surpassed expectations.
Highlighting the sale was a rare 1910 Doves Press tercentenary edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets printed on vellum that soared past its estimate of $10,000-15,000 to achieve $60,800 amid trans-Atlantic bidding. One of just 15 copies produced on pure vellum, it is an exceptional example of the press’s vellum printing with an attractive binding by Charles MacLeish, enhanced by the distinguished provenance of Cortland Bishop and John Saks.
Also featured was a remarkable 1528 manuscript detailing the colonization of Venezuela by a contingent of conquistadors backed by the German financiers who supported Charles I of Spain in his bid for the Holy Roman Empire. Far outperforming expectations, it realized $35,200.
A standout among several intriguing American flags was a large and rare 21-star United States flag in the unusual Great Star pattern, circa 1819, which more than doubled its $10,000-15,000 estimate, selling for $35,200. The flag was created to commemorate Illinois’s admission to the Union in 1818.
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
