Biographical Note
Sidney Lawton Smith was born June 15, 1845, in Foxborough, MA. In 1863, Smith apprenticed with Reuben Carpenter to learn steel engraving and later apprenticed with Joseph Andrews. Sometime in the 1870s, Smith opened his own engraving studio in Canton, MA, and also worked on such projects as John La Farge's stained glass for Trinity Church. In 1893, the artist moved with his family to Boston. By 1896, Smith concentrated on designing and engraving bookplates. Smith was a prolific artist who specialized in printmaking and illustration from his own drawings. Smith had particular skill in rendering architectural details, decorative elements, historical scenes, and portraiture. He is considered an eminent bookplate artist and completed more than 200 bookplates for book collectors and cultural organizations. He died in 1929.