Library catalogue.- Consul Joseph Smith.- Bibliotheca Smithiana, seu Catalogus Librorum D. Josephi Smithii Angli per cognomina authorum dispositus, first collected edition, half-title, title printed in red and black and with large engraved arms, engraved armorial head-piece, wood-engraved tail-pieces, engraved bookplate, contemporary vellum, gilt, morocco spine label, small hole upper cover (possibly for tie), some light surface marks, g.e., [De Ricci pp.54-55], 4to, Venice, Jo. Baptista Pasquali, 1755.

⁂ The first complete edition of the catalogue of Consul Smith's superb library, which following its sale to King George III (for £10,000) became the foundation for the King's Library in the British Museum, now housed in the British Library. It is likely that this catalogue was prepared with the sale in mind. It is extremely valuable for its extensive appendix, which reprints the prefaces of all of the incunabula in the collection. Smith (c.1682-1770) was British consul at Venice (1744-1760), a patron of arts (notably Canaletto), and a collector of art and books. While at Venice he financed the Pasquali press, and enjoyed commissioning lavish limited editions, including an almost perfect facsimile of the rare 1527 edition of the Decameron.

Provenance: Anthony Hobson (1921-2014), book auctioneer, book historian (particularly bindings) and bibliophile (armorial bookplates).