194

J. Goldsmith.

A Grammar of General Geography, with ownership signature of the prophet's brother William Smith.

London, 1822
2 (of 27) folding maps (British Isles and North America present), 16 plates. 192 pages. 12mo, publisher's calf gilt, worn, conserved and rebacked with portion of original backstrip laid down; wear and extensive professional conservation to contents, partial loss to first letter of William Smith signature, lacking leaf G1, most of the maps and an indeterminate number of plates; ownership signatures, plate and stamps to endpapers.

  • Notes: William Smith (1811-1893) was a younger brother of Joseph Smith. He was born in Royalton, VT and was an early adherent of the Mormon faith, as an unofficial witness to the Book of Mormon plates. He was selected as an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835, and was excommunicated after a conflict with Brigham Young in 1845. He attempted to lead his own splinter group through the 1840s; later in life he served as a high priest in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  

    The William Smith signature in this book is a close match for an 1842 promissory note in the 2012 Taylor & Woodruff "Mormon Journey" catalogue, item 45; and a 28 October 1843 letter to Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Papers. This book was published in England when Smith was 11 years old. Tipped in at rear is a worn $2 banknote from the South Royalton Bank of Vermont from circa 1856, issued in his town of birth but long after Smith had moved west.

    We are aware of no other William Smith autographs at auction, or any other William Smith-signed books.

    Provenance: William Smith (signature); Elizabeth Talmage (1864-1936) between her 1876 emigration from England and her 1883 marriage in Utah (signature); her brother the noted LDS apostle and scientist James E. Talmage (1862-1933) (his private library bookplate); LDS Historian's Office (inked stamps on title page, page 51, and rear pastedown); sold by Sam Weller to Brent Ashworth, early 1980s; traded in 2010 per Brent Ashworth certificate of authenticity to the consignor Larry Faria; professionally conserved by Church History Conservation (report included).
  • Condition:
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