ARTHUR HENRY SMITH

TUCSON, Ariz. — Arthur Henry Smith, 85, of Tucson, Ariz., died peacefully Jan. 16, 2026, with his children by his side.

Arthur was born July 27,1940, in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, N.Y., one of four brothers. Arthur spent his summers as a youth in a family home in Athens, Vt., raising chickens and learning about farming. He attended Scarsdale High School (Class of 1958) before graduating from undergrad at Cornell University. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arizona in the late 1960s.

During his time in Arizona, Arthur was an original member and co-founder of Rancho Linda Vista in Oracle, Ariz., an artists’ community in the desert outside of Tucson. In the 1970s, he taught in the Economics Department at the University of Vermont before ultimately finding his true professional calling.

Arthur became widely known as a pioneering auctioneer and antiques dealer beginning in the 1980s. He was responsible for a number of notable auctions, including one featuring early antique photographs known as Bemis daguerreotypes, and earned a reputation for his sharp eye, deep knowledge, and unmistakable presence. His quick wit and auctioneer’s cadence were legendary to those who knew him and to those who encountered him professionally. Arthur also co-founded the Swift House Inn in Middlebury, Vt., in 1985. A lifelong lover of humor, wit, and satire, Arthur was a writer of many essays, op-eds, and the book “The Search for Merch: Tales of Antique Picking.”

Arthur is survived by his brother, Richard Liebmann-Smith (83); two children, Ben (50) and Elizabeth (48); and by three grandchildren, Ty (10), Jackson (8), and Wilder (8).

He will be remembered for his originality, intellectual curiosity, generosity of spirit, and unconventional view of the world. ◊