John Chaloner Smith

His British Mezzotinto Portraits … with Biographical Notes (London, 1878–84, 4 pts.) consists of a full catalogue of plates executed before 1820, with 125 autotypes from plates in Smith's possession. The latter were also issued separately. This "remains the definitive catalogue of the subject".^[2] The print-room at the British Museum contains an interleaved copy with manuscript notes. Smith was a collector of engravings, principally mezzotints, which were sold after the completion of his book in sales between 1887 and 1896. Some 300 of them, especially those by Irish printmakers, were purchased for the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin through Sir Edward Guinness, and the British Museum bought 106.^[3]

Chaloner Smith took an interest in the financial relations between England and Ireland, and published pamphlets on the subject. Just before his death he was examined before the Royal Commission which was appointed to consider the question.

• "Smith, John Chaloner" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
• Antony Griffiths (ed), Landmarks in Print Collecting - Connoisseurs and Donors at the British Museum since 1753, p. 138, 1996, British Museum Press, ISBN 0714126098

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Smith, John Chaloner". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.