VERY RARE DELUXE COMMERCIAL SPENCER SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT REPORTEDLY BELONGED TO GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER.

SN 1325. Cal. 56-50. Rare commercial carbine with 20″ rnd bbl, rectangular base front sight and 900 yard Spencer carbine ladder rear sight. Chamber area of the bbl is marked “N.M.” and top rear of the receiver is drilled & tapped, with plug screws, for a tang sight, the normal location for a SN on a Spencer. In this instance the SN is off to the left side. Mounted with very highly figured, uncheckered American walnut with small rnd Spencer forearm and straight stock with Spencer carbine buttplate. Bottom of the stock & bbl band have sling swivels. Left side of receiver has a staple & ring. Dr. Lawrence A. Frost of Monroe, Michigan, a preeminent authority on anything Custer, owned what was probably the most extensive collections of Custer artifacts & relics ever assembled and authored 13 books, mostly about Custer’s life. Apparently consignor and Dr. Frost became close acquaintances through their mutual interest in Custer memorabilia and Indian history. It is known that when Custer took command of the 7th Cavalry in 1866 he was issued Spencer carbine SN 3568 and that it was marked with his name. That carbine was marked with a special symbol that was thought to have been put there by an Indian woman named Monaseetah who lived with Custer in the summer of 1869 at Fort Supply. She allegedly bore Custer a son she named Yellow Bird, who had very fair complexion and light colored hair. Consignor states he learned this information about Monaseetah from her grandchildren who ran the Yellow Bird store near Porcupine, South Dakota. Dr. Frost told consignor he had another Spencer Sporting Rifle, caliber 56-46, that he believed Libby Custer had bought for George while they were in Crescent City, Louisiana in May 1865, from the Kittredge & Folsom Company. The Custers were in Crescent City on their way to a new posting in Texas. Dr. Frost also related to consignor that another Spencer he had was unlike any other he had ever seen. He related that in comparing it to Custer’s other sporting rifle and to the military Model 1865, that rifle was completely different. He stated that he was convinced this “special” Spencer that the Spencer Co. Master Armorer, a Mr. Stahl, had produced just for Custer and that it was sent to Custer in March 1866 by Thomas Wells of the Spencer Co. while Custer was still in Monroe, Michigan because he wanted Custer’s opinion and his endorsement. There is a record of a letter sent to Custer asking about the gun. (Reference p. 152, Spencer Repeating Firearms, Marcot). The referenced letter is pictured and states in part “I wrote you the last part of March or the first part of April enclosing Adams Express Company receipt for a Spencer Sporting Rifle (made expressly for you). He goes on to solicit an endorsement to aid their sales to Europe. He also asked for a personal endorsement to obtain a job in the local customs house. Dr. Frost directly told consignor that the SN of that “special” Spencer was “1325”. Consignor states he purchased this carbine from Calvin Patrick of Corpus Christi, Texas. PROVENANCE: Wendell Grangaard Collection. CONDITION: Fine plus. No disassembly was effected to check for matching numbers; bbl retains traces of blue in sheltered areas being mostly a cleaned medium brown patina with freckles of pinprick rust; receiver retains about 25-30% case colors, bright on the sides at the shoulders, faded to silver elsewhere. Wood is sound with the forearm showing a few nicks & dings and retains about 60% orig varnish. Buttstock has a few light nicks & dings and retains about 95% bright orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of pitting. 4-49327 JR535 (50,000-75,000) – Lot 2244

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2244	$0.00	VERY RARE DELUXE COMMERCIAL SPENCER SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT REPORTEDLY BELONGED TO GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER. SN 1325. Cal. 56-50. Rare commercial carbine with 20″ rnd bbl, rectangular base front sight and 900 yard Spencer carbine ladder rear sight. Chamber area of the bbl is marked “N.M.” and top rear of the receiver is drilled & tapped, with plug screws, for a tang sight, the normal location for a SN on a Spencer. In this instance the SN is off to the left side. Mounted with very highly figured, uncheckered American walnut with small rnd Spencer forearm and straight stock with Spencer carbine buttplate. Bottom of the stock & bbl band have sling swivels. Left side of receiver has a staple & ring. Dr. Lawrence A. Frost of Monroe, Michigan, a preeminent authority on anything Custer, owned what was probably the most extensive collections of Custer artifacts & relics ever assembled and authored 13 books, mostly about Custer’s life. Apparently consignor and Dr. Frost became close acquaintances through their mutual interest in Custer memorabilia and Indian history. It is known that when Custer took command of the 7th Cavalry in 1866 he was issued Spencer carbine SN 3568 and that it was marked with his name. That carbine was marked with a special symbol that was thought to have been put there by an Indian woman named Monaseetah who lived with Custer in the summer of 1869 at Fort Supply. She allegedly bore Custer a son she named Yellow Bird, who had very fair complexion and light colored hair. Consignor states he learned this information about Monaseetah from her grandchildren who ran the Yellow Bird store near Porcupine, South Dakota. Dr. Frost told consignor he had another Spencer Sporting Rifle, caliber 56-46, that he believed Libby Custer had bought for George while they were in Crescent City, Louisiana in May 1865, from the Kittredge & Folsom Company. The Custers were in Crescent City on their way to a new posting in Texas. Dr. Frost also related to consignor that another Spencer he had was unlike any other he had ever seen. He related that in comparing it to Custer’s other sporting rifle and to the military Model 1865, that rifle was completely different. He stated that he was convinced this “special” Spencer that the Spencer Co. Master Armorer, a Mr. Stahl, had produced just for Custer and that it was sent to Custer in March 1866 by Thomas Wells of the Spencer Co. while Custer was still in Monroe, Michigan because he wanted Custer’s opinion and his endorsement. There is a record of a letter sent to Custer asking about the gun. (Reference p. 152, Spencer Repeating Firearms, Marcot). The referenced letter is pictured and states in part “I wrote you the last part of March or the first part of April enclosing Adams Express Company receipt for a Spencer Sporting Rifle (made expressly for you). He goes on to solicit an endorsement to aid their sales to Europe. He also asked for a personal endorsement to obtain a job in the local customs house. Dr. Frost directly told consignor that the SN of that “special” Spencer was “1325”. Consignor states he purchased this carbine from Calvin Patrick of Corpus Christi, Texas. PROVENANCE: Wendell Grangaard Collection. CONDITION: Fine plus. No disassembly was effected to check for matching numbers; bbl retains traces of blue in sheltered areas being mostly a cleaned medium brown patina with freckles of pinprick rust; receiver retains about 25-30% case colors, bright on the sides at the shoulders, faded to silver elsewhere. Wood is sound with the forearm showing a few nicks & dings and retains about 60% orig varnish. Buttstock has a few light nicks & dings and retains about 95% bright orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of pitting. 4-49327 JR535 (50,000-75,000) – Lot 2244 Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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VERY RARE DELUXE COMMERCIAL SPENCER SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT REPORTEDLY BELONGED TO GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER.