Item No. 4312133

A very rare signed CDV of General George Armstrong Custer. Pictured in his dashing uniform, Custer signed underneath with rank. This image was No. 55 in the General B. J. D. Irwin collection of U.S. & C.S. commanders. It is Irwin’s handwriting in red ink on the reverse of the carte. Also on the reverse is the backmark of photographer Mathew Brady (also marked along the bottom edge on the front). The image is no. K-77V in D. Mark Katz’s Custer in Photographs (p. 62). According to Custer, the original image was made at Brady’s Washington studio on May 23, 1865—the day of the Grand Review.

The image is in excellent condition with trimmed corners from its previous album placement. The albumen was damaged early in its existence. There is a separation tear visible at the lower-left corner of the albumen where the “T” of “Truly” begins. Also, at the lower-right there was a complete tear of the albumen’s corner, which was reattached, although slightly askew. Note that Custer’s signature is uninterrupted, indicating that the general signed the image after the albumen damage took place. Measures about 2 1/2” x 3 3/4”.