Chapman, S.H. & H. Catalogue of the Magnificent Collection of Coins of the United States Formed by the Late Harlan P. Smith, Esq. May 8-11, 1906. Fine.Quarto. Hardbound in the original white half cloth and boards, lettered in gilt on the front cover. With 14 original, numbered photographic plates, each with “Smith Collection” at the bottom. A bit worn, bumped and stained at the edges and corners of the covers, the binding having done its service in protecting the interior which is fairly clean with only a couple of light stains. A couple of small price notations are noted. Original prices realized and rare errata page laid in, the edges chipped and stained, but clean otherwise. Small separations at the inside cover joints and a small split at the lower rear bottom of same. An original unused bid sheet for the sale is also laid in, this a generic form as typical, without specific identity of the sale printed on the form. A relatively expensive edition which cost $5 at the time, ten times the price of the usual unplated softbound version. Library bookplate of Harry W. Bass, Jr. on the inside front cover. This copy was consigned to New Netherlands in 1967 by John Ford personally, this likely found to be an inferior duplicate to another he acquired elsewhere, probably from the Boyd or Raymond libraries.<p>A notable sale ranked “A+” by John Adams, which according to the prices realized list brought $22,615.10, then the highest price of any American numismatic sale. A follow-up offering of duplicates from this collection, held June 29, 1906, would be the final sale conducted by S.H. and H. Chapman, working in partnership. The letter announcing the dissolution of their partnership “by mutual consent” was dated August 17, 1906.From the D. Brent Pogue Library. Earlier ex John J. Ford, Jr., New Netherlands, June 1967 lot 139; Harry W. Bass, Jr., George Frederick Kolbe, June 1999, lot 142.
