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Auction: 336 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 1871

Custer, George Armstrong. A Quartet of Custer Autographed Envelopes from the 1870's. 1) Envelope postmarked Washington, D. C. December 18, no year. "1870" archivist's notation in pencil. Addressed in brown ink by George Armstrong Custer to "Mrs. Genl Custer / Fort Leavenworth / Kansas." Two three cent stamps affixed. Twelve cents postage due. The extreme right end of the envelope is torn off. The Custer's spent part of the winter of 1870-1871 at Fort Leavenworth. 2) Yellow envelope postmarked "NEW (YORK?)," with the date illegible. An archivist's notation in pencil reads "Toms letter / 1876." The portion of the date that is legible seems to indicate that the month is December, but General Custer was already dead by December 1876. Addressed in brown ink by George Armstrong Custer to "Mrs Genl Custer / Care of Mrs Gibbs / Cor Division & Somersett / New Brunswick / N Jer." The right end of the envelope is missing, and the left end is crumbled and tattered. Mrs. Gibbs was perhaps the widow of General Alfred Gibbs, "…an old cavalry friend…" according to Mrs. Custer. Gibbs was on active duty as a Major with the 7th U.S. Cavalry from 1866 to 1868. 3) Envelope with a circular blue trademark of Breslin Gardner and Company, proprietors of Gilsey House, corner of Broadway & 29th Street. New York postmark, July 18. Addressed in brown ink by George Armstrong Custer to "Mrs Genl Custer / Care of Hon KCBarker / Detroit / Mic." Archivist's notation in pencil states the year as "1871." The right end is torn off, but only the end letters of the state are missing. K. C. Barker was the Mayor of Detroit, and he and his friends had accompanied Custer on a buffalo hunt. 4) Similar envelope. Postmarked New York, July 25. Addressed in brown ink by George Armstrong Custer to "Mrs Genl Custer / Care of Col Maxwell / Free Press Office / Detroit / Mic." Archivist's notation in pencil states the year as "1871." The right end is torn off, but only the end letters of the state are missing. Probably Colonel George R. Maxwell. [4]

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