The Palatial Mansion of the Late Henry James Smith and its Rare and Costly Contents, De Luxe Illustrated Edition

New York, New York, U.S.A.: The American Art Association, 1910. First Edition . Half-Leather. Very Good. Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. This is copy no. 61 of a limited edition of 275 copies only. Printed and bound by the Lent & Graff Company, NY. Photographs by Lawrence X. Champeaux, NY. Photogravures by A. W. Elson & Co., Boston. Approximately 13 x 10 inches. Originally issued bound in semi-stiff beige wrappers with over-wrappers. This copy presumed bound by original or early owner, Howard Young Gallery, in contemporary oxblood-colored half morocco, with crisp gilt-stamped lettering to the spine, and with oxblood-colored buckram boards. Hubbed spine to a handsome effect. Front hinge slightly tender and with 2-inch clean crack along the top of the front gutter, generally a cosmetic issue. Gently bumped/abraded spine tail and lower corners. Binding generally unsoiled and well-preserved. A most attractive binding. Gray paper pastedowns and FEPs. Text block firmly bound in. Fore- and bottom edges attractively deckled. With several unnumbered pages of introductory text, plus unnumbered pages in which 924 auction lots are itemized. With approximately two dozen full-page photogravures depicting interior views of the mansion plus numerous B&W photogravures with additional views, including the exterior and interior. Also with many photographs, referenced by lot number, of various furniture and furnishings. This volume also includes Ground Floor Plans of Mansion as two double-page spreads: basement plan, first floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor, and studio. Small oval purple ink stamp of previous owner to the top corner of the front pastedown. Front FEP with a 3-inch piece of clear tape near the bottom corner, quite minor. Following FEP with the number 112 stamped neatly to the upper corner. One or two text pages with a light blemish. Else an exceptionally clean copy. A hint of age toning to all pages, quite minor. No remainder marks. A Very Good copy. Scarce in any condition. This book is the auction catalog for the sale of the mansion, and contents of said mansion, of Henry James Smith and located at 871 Fifth Avenue, New York. The sale took place over the course of five days, January 18-22 inclusive, 1910. The mansion, designed by architect William Schickel, was completed in 1883. Eventually it was almost entirely rebuilt by the firm of McKim, Mead & White. Demolition was scheduled for 1942.