Antique Stereograph (Stereoview) Titled "No. 6. Gen. Custar [sic] and Spotted Tail at the Grand Duke's Mess Tent."

(Custer, Major General George Armstrong) (Powers, D. R.) photographer. Antique Stereograph (Stereoview) Titled "No. 6. Gen. Custar [sic] and Spotted Tail at the Grand Duke's Mess Tent." Omaha, Nebraska: E. L. Eaton, Photographer, [January, 1872]. A pair of dome-topped, 3" x 3-1/8" albumen photographs on an original yellow stiff card, E. L. Eaton, Photographer mount measuring 3-3/8" x 6-15/16"; verso with printed title, E. L. Eaton, Photographer imprint, and D. R. Powers, Operator credit. The photographs capture Lieutenant Colonel Custer seated with his rifle propped up by his side, steadied with his left hand. The prominent Lakota Sioux leader, Chief Spotted Tail stands next to Custer, the two in front of Grand Duke Alexis' mess tent from Alexis' hunting exhibition in 1872; additional tents can be seen in the background. The condition of the stereoview is (8/10) - VERY FINE; Mild or moderate condition issues visible under very close inspection or under raking light; with a small inventory sticker affixed near top left corner of mount recto. The Great Royal Buffalo Hunt of 1872 The Grand Duke Alexis' hunting exhibition, or, the "Great Royal Buffalo Hunt" took place from January 12-16, 1872 in what is now Hayes County, Nebraska. This high-profile diplomatic and sporting event featured Buffalo Bill Cody, Custer, General Philip Sheridan, Chief Spotted Tail, and a prominent contingent of Sioux Indians. During the exhibition, the Sioux put on a historic powwow and a war dance for the Grand Duke, marking a brief and extraordinary moment of cultural intersection on the American plains immediately preceding the transition to open warfare later in the decade. Definitive Photographic Provenance & Literature This exact, legendary stereoview is highly celebrated in Custer iconography. It is pictured in the definitive reference text by D. Mark Katz, Custer in Photographs (New York: Bonanza Books, 1990, p. 140), where it is formally cataloged and designated as entry K-158. At the time of publication, it was specifically cited by Katz as an "unpublished stereoview, courtesy of William M. Lentz, Jr." Institutional Census and Pedigree This item boasts a flawless, institutional-grade lineage from three of the most revered collections of Western Americana and historical photography. It originates from the esteemed collection of William M. Lentz, Jr., before appearing at Swann Galleries (Photographs, April 19, 1997, Lot 93—the original catalog for which is included with this purchase). It was subsequently acquired by The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography, one of the most comprehensive private holdings of its kind. A current census via WorldCat and specialized photographic union catalogs locates no other copies traced in any institutional holdings worldwide. AN ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE, UNPUBLISHED, AND GENUINELY MUSEUM-WORTHY PIECE OF WESTERN AMERICANA AND NATIVE AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY. # 001281