143 of 236 lots
143
[CUSTER] 1873 Black Hills Expedition Stereoview
Estimate:
$250 - $500
Sold
$450
Live Auction
DAY 1: Militaria & Historic Americana
Description
No. 852. Custer's Expedition. Albumen stereoview on cardstock. St. Paul, Minnesota: W.H. Illingworth, [1873]. From the series "Photographs of the Black Hills." Photographer/publisher's imprint to mount recto with series and image title. Verso includes a series description and printed list of stereoviews in the series. 

The image captures George A. Custer (1839-1876) and the men of the 7th Cavalry during the Black Hills Expedition of 1874. Ordered to travel to the as-of-yet uncharted Black Hills, Custer led the expedition in search of a suitable site for a fort and to investigate the possibility of gold mining. 

At the site of the future town of Custer, the Cavalry began to scout fort locations while civilians searched for gold. Although the significance of finds is questionable, it led to a gold rush that caused widespread disruption to the Sioux and ultimately led to the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877. It was during this conflict that Custer himself met his demise at the Battle of Little Big Horn. 

The expedition included over 1000 men, 110 wagons, and numerous horses and cattle, magnificently captured rolling over the landscape by English photographer William H. Illingworth (1844-1893) who accompanied the entourage. 

[Western Americana, Western History, Western Expansion, Wild West] [Native Americans, Native American History, American Indian, Indian History] [Late Indian Wars, Great Sioux War, George Armstrong Custer, Battle of Little Bighorn, Lakota, Lakota Sioux, Arapaho, Norther Cheyenne, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]