Albert Smith

One item is a summary of his life from the time when he abandoned his father’s wish that he should become a surgeon, to his successful literary, lecturing and performing career. Some of the other newspaper cuttings describe how his Ascent of Mont Blanc performances developed over time. The print illustrated is from an unknown newspaper hand dated 4 October 1852. This is one of the items contained in a wooden box of 19th century ephemera, mainly relating to the Egyptian Hall. To view all the items from the box, click on View Details and then the Key Phrase ‘Wooden box items’.

This print from a newspaper hand dated 5 May 1873 shows the Blue Grotto at Capri, recently visited by the Duke of Edinburgh and his fiancee. The accompanying newspaper cutting recalls how Albert Smith described the grotto in his entertainment. The date and source of the item including a print of bearded Albert Smith are unknown. This is one of the items contained in a wooden box of 19th century ephemera, mainly relating to the Egyptian Hall. To view all the items from the box, click on View Details and then the Key Phrase ‘Wooden box items’.

Albert Smith (1816-1860) was a Victorian entertainer, novelist and raconteur who had great success appearing at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in the 1850s. This was long before the magician J.N. Maskelyne appeared there. See also N1909 for an engraving of Albert Smith.

Albert Smith was a larger than life Victorian character and, among other things, a great showman. His talks on the ascent of Mont Blanc at the Egyptian Hall were very popular. This item is an engraving by D. J. Pound from a photograph by Mayall. John Jabez Edwin Mayall was a well known photographer. Daniel John Pound was also well known, not least for translating photographs by Mayall, and other photographers, into engravings. See also Ref. no. N1463 for an Albert Smith token for the Egyptian Hall Museum, 1860.

Mr Erasmus Galton’s ascent of Mont Blanc is illustrated and described on pages 93 and 94 of ‘The Illustrated London News’, 8 February 1851. Around the same time Albert Smith at the Egyptian Hall gave very popular talks on his own ascent of Mont Blanc.