OldCooksBooks.com


Showing page 31 of 44 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Nott. John - With the bookplate of 'Steuart of Allanton' one of the oldest Scottish families
The Cook and Confectioner DICTIONARY:
Or, the Accomplish’d Housewife’s Companion. CONTAINING, 1. The Choicest Receipts in all the several Branches of Cookery; or the best and newest Ways of dressing all sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, &c. for a Common or Noble Table; with their proper Garniture and Sauces. 11. The best way of making Bisks, Farces, forc’d Meats, Marinades, Olio’s Puptons, Ragoos, Sauces, Soops, Potages, &c. according to the English, French and Italian Courts. 111. All manner of Pastry-workss, as Biskets, Cakes, Cheese-cakes, Custards, Pastes, Patties, Puddings, Pyes, Tarts, &c. 1V. The various Branches of Confectionary; as Candying, Conserving, Preserving, and Drying all sorts of Flowers, Fruits, Roots, &c. Also Jellies, Composts, Marmalades, and Sugar-works. V. The way of making all English potable Liquors; Ale, Beer, Cider, Mead, Metheglin, Mum, Perry, and all sorts of Eng-lish Wines; Also Cordials, and Beautifying Waters. V1. Directions for ordering an Entertainment, or Bills of Fare for all Seasons of the Year; and setting out a Desert of Sweeet-meats to the best Advantage: With an Explanation of the Terms us’d in Carving. According to the Practice of the most celebrated Cooks, Confectioners, &c. in the Courts of England, France, c. and many private and accomplish’d House-wives. The Second Edition with Additions. Revised and Recommended By John Nott, late Cook the Dukes of Somerset, Ormond and Bolton; Lord Landsdown and Ashburnham. LONDON: Printed H.P. for C. Rivington, at the Bible and Crown, in St. Paul’s Church-yard. 1724. [Price six Shillings.]
8vo. 2feps. [1] Frontis-piece by J.Pine. Title page in red and black type. [1] 4p Introduction with printers device at the top. 2p Divertisements in Cookery. No page numbers but by the Alphabet 1+AL-YO. 14p Bills of Fare and Terms for Carving and setting out Dessert. 17p Index. 1p Advertisements. 2feps. Beautiful original two-tone dark tan boards with a modern dark calf spine with rasied bands and blind tooling. With a dark tan label and gilt lettering. A nice tightly bound and clean copy.
- John Nott, Cook to his Grace the Duke of Bolton strikes one in no small measure as being quite eccentric, at least on paper. In his book, the dedication is addressed to ‘all good housewives’ and starts ‘Worthy Dames----‘ He carries on, ‘-----it is unfashionable for a Book to come abroad without an Introduction, as for a Man to appear at Church with-out a Neckcloth, or a Lady without a Hoop-petticoat----‘ further on he states, ‘----of which I am satisfied you are already very sensible, or extol my own Performance; however, I flatter myself it will not, to you, be unacceptable----‘ he further addresses the Ladies, ‘---I have not troubled you with Fucus’s and Paints, for the putting of false Faces upon Nature, because you, my Country Women, for the Generality of you (as is allow’d even by all ingenious Foreigners) stand less in need of artificial Faces (your natural ones being more amiable) than those of your Sex in neighbouring Nations, with all their Paintings and Daubings;-----‘ Nott un-does his own efforts near the end of the dedication by proclaiming, ‘---And, indeed, great Pity were it if this Beneficence of Providence should be marr’d in the ordering, so as justly to merit the Reflection of the old Proverb, that though “God sends us Meat, yet the Devil does Cooks”------.’ I am sure that if English and also foreign Housewifes, as potential customers, had read the Dedication before buying it, the sales of Nott’s book would have taken a severe dip. However in saying all of the above, it is after all, extremely scarce, interesting and well laid out. There are very few copies that come up for sale at auction, bookfairs, in antiquarian bookshops or dealers catalogues.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 11037

NUTT. Frederick - A superlatively rare find
Nutt's own signed manuscript recipe book -- circa 1789.
The manuscript is in 5 approximately even sections with one fifth of the total pages blank: 1st section -- 214 numbered receipts with an index. 2nd section -- 59 numbered receipts with an index. 3rd section -- 9 pages of English spelling & shorthand studies. 4th section -- 69 pages of unnumbered receipts; mainly sweets, wines, cordials and pickles. No index. Frederick Nutt’s signature is on the very first page and in the 2nd section, above recipe # 42, for Currant Jelly. There is a date in the 4th section of June 10th 1826. The first section is almost the same as the 1st printed edition of Nutt’s 'Complete Confectioner' of 1789; It is almost identical in recipe sequence, recipe content and index. Out of 237 recipes in the 1st edition, there are only 44 recipes out of sequence in the manuscript. Most of the 44 recipes can be found in the 2nd section of the manuscript. The 2 biggest anomalies in the 1st section index are - # 1 -- the block of 6 ‘Cordials’ starting with recipe # 182. They are not present in the index of ‘The Complete Confectioner’. Anomaly # 2 – in ‘The Complete Confectioner’ there are 7 recipes in the chapter ‘Fruits Preserved in Brandy’ (recipe # 180) -- that are not in the 1st section of the manuscript, but scattered in the 2nd section. This is without doubt, Frederick Nutt’s own manuscript recipe book -- circa 1789, which he used to publish the 1st edition of his 'Complete Confectioner'.
16mo The manuscript measures 159 x 65 mm. The book is dis-bound with back board present. The text block is tight. There are a couple of pages loose. All pages are age browned. The text is small, neat, legible and in Nutt's handwriting throughout. Preserved in a brown cloth covered hand tied, folding sleeve. All held in a fine modern full tan calf clamshell box. Raised bands on spine with gilt lines and blind tooling in the compartments. 2 labels - one red, one green with gilt lettering. The boards edged with gilt lines.
- Although Frederick Nutt did not add his name to his famous book, 'The Complete Confectioner', it is understood that it was out of respect for another famous confectioner, Domenico Negri, at the 'Pot and Pineapple' shop in Berkley Square, where Nutt had been formally apprenticed. This probably means that many of the recipes contained in this manuscript and 'The Complete Confectioner' are from the 'Pot and Pineapple' as well as his later places of employment. All conscientious apprentices would keep a journal of all recipes seen and done, as they went about learning their trade. As can be seen in this detailed manuscript, in this respect Nutt was no exception, giving one a sense of a very diligent craftsman. One aspect of the manuscript that it is quite startling is how little editing happened between the manuscript (see the detailed description of this item above) and the published first edition of 'The Complete Confectioner'(see item 10909 below}. Compared to today's multi-faceted approach and effort needed to get a successful cookery book onto the market, the manuscript and the subsequent book, surprise and amaze by their simplicity.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 10908

NUTT. Frederick - The very rare first edition.
The Complete Confectioner
The COMPLETE CONFECTIONER; or the Whole ART of CONFECTIONARY: Forming a Ready Assistant to all Genteel FAMILIES; giving them a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE of CONFECTIONARY: with INSTRUCTIONS, NEATLY ENGRAVED ON TEN COPPER-PLATES, How to decorate a TABLE with TASTE and ELEGANCE, Without the Expence or Assistance of a Confectioner. By a Person, Late an Apprentice to the well known Messrs. Negri and Witten, of Berkley Square. London: Printed for the Author; and sold by J. Mathews, No. 18, Strand, MDCCLXXXIX. Price 10s 6d. neatly bound. Entered at Stationers Hall. (Nutt's name did not appear on the title page until the 3rd edition of 1806)
FIRST EDITION. 8vo. Pp. Half title. Title page [v-xxiv] [1] 2-212 Illustrations: Ten numbered engraved plates, consisting of six of table settings plus three folding. Plate number 10 - a pastry molding tool, bound in separately between pages 8 & 9. A very clean copy with minimal stains. Fully bound in dark brown calf, re-backed, raised bands with blind tooling , red label with gilt lettering. Contemporary boards slightly bumped with nice polished patina. A rare item.
- Although Nutt did not add his name to the 'Complete Confectioner', it is understood that it was out of respect for another famous confectioner, Domenico Negri, at the 'Pot and Pneapple' shop in Berkley Square, where Nutt had been formally apprenticed. This probably means that many of the recipes contained in the Complete Confectioner are from the 'Pot and Pineapple' as well as his other places of employment. All conscientious apprentices would keep a journal of all recipes seen and done, as they went about learning their trade. This can be seen in the original Frederick Nutt manuscript (see item #10908 above). Approximately a total of a third of the recipes in the manuscript match all the recipes in this first edition. The eminent cookery book dealer, Janet Clarke, informs us in her catalogue online, a very interesting little snippet about Nutt the professional confectioner and his book. To quote; "The author was obviously highly proficient in his art and his recipes are meticulous and was, at one time, offered £1000 to withdraw his work from the public in order to protect his fellow confectioners who were fearful of losing business to those who might rival them having learned their art through this work". He obviously declined the offer. One wonders in what regard Nutt's fellow professionals held him after that. This also was the first book of confectionery to be published in America in 1807, for Richard Scott and sold at his Bookstore, 243 Pearl St. NY. Re-printed from the 4th English edition, with large additions.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 10909

Nutt. Frederick - an untrimmed copy.
THE IMPERIAL AND ROYAL COOK;
CONSISTING OF THE MOST SUMPTUOUS MADE DISHES, RAGOUTS, FRICASSES, SOUPS, GRAVIES,&c. Foreign and English: INCLUDING THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS IN FASHIONABLE LIFE. SECOND EDITION. BY FREDERICK NUTT. AUTHOR OF THE COMPLETE CONFECTIONER. LONDON; PRINTED FOR SAMUEL LEIGH, STRAND; AND BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1819
8vo 195x120mm. 1fep. Half title. [2] Frontispiece with signature 'Frederic Nutt Esq.' Engraved by Woodman from a Drawing by Satchell. Title Page. (1)vi-viii Advertisements. (1)x-xxiv Contents. (1)2-268. (1)270-276 Index. 1fep. Original cardboard boards with advertisements on both sides. Lightly age browned but still very clearly legible. Rebacked with 1/4 dark brown modern calf with raised bands with fine gilt tooling. Two labels, one red and one black with gilt lettering. Internally very clean with original untrimmed edges. A very good copy.
- The original advertisements on the front cover gives all the information for this book. Two interesting points; It states this is the second edition but the date on the cover is 1820, while on the title page it states 1819. The back cover is a full advert for Nutt's other famous book 'The Complete Confectioner' also dated 1820. The first edition for this book is 1809 and the first edition of 'The Complete Confectioner' is 1789. Also of interest, Nutt has his first name on the front cover spelt Frederic, and on the back as Frederick. Bitting has this second of 1819, Oxford the first of 1809, Cagle the first also, and the BL one of each. A very scarce book especially untrimmed and with the original boards.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 11026

Oxford. Arnold Whitaker - with a tipped-in letter signed by Oxford
Notes from a Collector's Catalogue
With a Bibliography of English Cookery Books, By A. W. Oxford. London: Messrs. JOHN and EDWARD BUMPUS. Limited, 350, Oxford Street. 1909.
FIRST EDITION 1909. On the first blank, a tipped in one page letter written and signed by Oxford. [1] Title page. [1] 1p Contents. [1] (1)2-116. 1p with printers info. [1] 2 feps. With original very clean grey cardboard boards with black ink title on the front. A cream cloth spine lightly browned. Half the original label missing. Internally a very clean, tight binding and untrimmed. Overall a very good copy in the original state. A very scarce item especially in this condition and with the signed letter.
- Dr. Arnold Whitaker Oxford was born at Keynsham in 1854, and graduated from Oxford University. He died on May. 30 1947 at the age of 93 after enjoying a long medical career. At one time he was resident at Charing Cross Hospital. He wrote quite a few books. Some on Freemasons but the better known on cookery. Oxford was an inveterate and odd collector. He started with playing cards and their accessories, and among many other collecting fevers he amassed collections of old silver, stay busks, knitting needle sheaths, domestic implements, seals and writing materials. diaries and engravings, religious objects, Egyptian antiquities, calendars, clocks and finally the items that fired him up the most: cookery books. He wrote two cookery bibliographies that are much used by collectors. This one -- 'Notes from a Collectors Catalogue' and the more comprehensive ' English Cookery Books to the Year 1850' On page 40 of the 'Notes from a Collectors Catalogue' there is a very good list of English books on Cookery and Carving up to the year 1699. Listing not only Oxford's collection, but also the holdings of the Bodleian, the British Museum, and the Cambridge and Patent Office libraries. At the back is also an STC of Cookery Books from 1700. The handwritten letter by Oxford is in his small 'hard to read' style states (as far as I can make out) -- 'July 2.19.08 Dear Sir I hear you bought lot 68 at Sothebys on June 25. 1908. I should be most obliged if you would let me see 'The Court & Country Cook' at home if ------. I cant come up and see it myself as I have been in bed for weeks. I am writing to present you with a book of mine as you will see from it on page 97 ----- I must want the ----. Y faithfully a.w. oxford.' (then written & underlined in another hand) --'Entered 3.7.09'. The cookbook 'The Court & Country Cook' referred to above by Oxford can be seen on this site - item #11120. This is a translation into English of Massialot’s two famous books, 'Nouveau cuisinier royal et bourgeois' and 'Nouvelle instruction pour les confitures'. As this book was printed in 1702. One wonders whether Oxford had already seen a copy and wanted to re-check some details for his Collector's Catalogue of 1909, or this was his first sight of a very rare book.

click on image to enlarge

Modern category

ref number: 11093

Pant. Pushpesh
INDIA COOKBOOK
Written by: PUSHPESH PANT. THE ONLY COOKBOOK ON INDIAN FOOD YOU'LL EVER NEED. PRODUCE OF INDIA. 1000 RECIPES. REAP #:1-0-06-205. WWW.PHAIDON.COM
FIRST EDITION 2010. 4to. 277x185mm. Pastedown and endpaper with a lovely 'welcome' illustration (see image #2 below). [1] Half-title with an illustration of the sun and rays. Title page is a copy of the colourfully illustrated front cover. 2p Contents. (3)9-27 Introduction starting with map of india and portrait of the author, P.Pant. 2p Photograph of spice merchant. (1)31-793. 2 p Illustration for Directory 796-797. 2 p Illustration for Index 800-815. 1p Author's acknowledgements. [1] Illustrated end-paper and paste-down. Fully bound in white hard cardboard covers with an illustration of the sun and rays and bordered in typical Indian colours. The text block is richly illustrated with many two-page colour illustrations in the famous style of hand-painted Indian film posters. With numerous full page photographs of authentic Indian dishes. All the numerous chapters in multi-coloured paper. The book comes in a typical cream coloured Indian cloth bag with the same illustration as the book cover. A nice unusual touch. Pristine condition, as new.
- This beautiful book oozes India with a very Indian feel and style to it (you can almost smell the simmering spices!). It has been very well thought out with many innovative ideas to the layout. As someone who has been working and cooking in India for over 40 years, this book strikes me as one of the best so far. The author, Pushpesh Pant (a tongue twister for any westerner) was born in 1946 in Nainital, northern India, and is a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. A regular recipe columnist, author of many cookbooks and host of a very good TV series, he has spent two decades collecting authentic family recipes from all over the country. They have been carefully edited, tested and collated to produce a remarkable collection documenting the rich diversity of Indian cuisine. When one first comes across this book, the unusual way it is presented in the cloth bag (see image #1 below) grabs one's attention immediately and that focus doesn't waver as one peruses the whole volume. This book may well gain and sustain a well deserved, long lasting reputation.

click on image to enlarge

Modern category

ref number: 11171

Pant. Pushpesh - signed by P. Pant.
INDIA COOKBOOK
Written by: PUSHPESH PANT. THE ONLY COOKBOOK ON INDIAN FOOD YOU'LL EVER NEED. PRODUCE OF INDIA. 1000 RECIPES. REAP #:1-0-06-205. WWW.PHAIDON.COM
FIRST EDITION 2010. 4to. 277x185mm. Pastedown and endpaper with a lovely 'welcome' illustration (see image #2 below). [1] Half-title with an illustration of the sun and rays and signed in orange ink -- "For. Robert Hendry Happy Cooking with warm regards Pushpesh Pant. Title page is a copy of the colourfully illustrated front cover. 2p Contents. (3)9-27 Introduction starting with map of india and portrait of the author, P.Pant. 2p Photograph of spice merchant. (1)31-793. 2 p Illustration for Directory 796-797. 2 p Illustration for Index 800-815. 1p Author's acknowledgements. [1] Illustrated end-paper and paste-down. Fully bound in white hard cardboard covers with an illustration of the sun and rays and bordered in typical Indian colours. The text block is richly illustrated with many two-page colour illustrations in the famous style of hand-painted Indian film posters. With numerous full page photographs of authentic Indian dishes. All the numerous chapters in multi-coloured paper. The book comes in a typical cream coloured Indian cloth bag with the same illustration as the book cover. A nice unusual touch. Pristine condition, as new.
- The author, Pushpesh Pant was born in 1946 in Nainital, northern India, and is a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. A regular recipe columnist and author of many cookbooks, he has spent two decades collecting authentic family recipes from all over the country. He is extremely knowledgeable about the huge diversity of regional Indian cuisines and very passionate when communicating his knowledge. His very popular TV series: Jiggs Kalra's Daawat, conveys the historical origins and diversity of Indian regional cuisines. This fine book fills in some of the recipes missing from the series. Very scarce with the author's signature.

click on image to enlarge

Modern category

ref number: 11183

Parnell. Henry - Rare.
A Collection of Valuable Receipts.
IN VARIOUS BRANCHES OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY, SELECTED FROM THE WORKS OF BRITISH AND FOREIGN WRITERS OF UNQUESTIONABLE AUTHORITY AND EXPERIENCE. BY HENRY PARNELL, OF LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS. London: WILLIAM DARTON, JUN. 58, HOLBORN HILL. Sold by the Booksellers in Town and Country. 1819.
FIRST and possible SOLE EDITION. 174mm x 105mm. 2feps. [1] Frontispiece dated 1822. [1] (1)4-72. 2feps. Original discoloured dark grey covers with rubbed corners. Quarter red cloth. Spine with black label lengthways with gilt lettering. Pages slightly age browned throughout with the frontis and title page a little more. Overall fine.
- There are no copies in the bibliographies nor auction catalogues. Nothing can be found out about Henry Parnell. There is no further information in the book besides that on the title page. The frontis dated 1822 added to the title page dated 1819 is a further curiosity that defies an explanation. It is a curious book with general and diverse receipts, such as 'To detect Dampness in a Bed', or 'Experienced Method of Catching Larks' also 'Method of recovering persons Apparently Drowned'. Incredibly the recipe for “British Champagne” comes after advice on 'How to destroy worms in a gravel path'. COPAC shows only two copies at Oxford, both dated 1819 and one other in the BL dated 1819 with the frontis also dated 1822. A rare item even without proof of other possible editions.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 11185

Partridge. John - Extremely rare.
THE TREASURY OF Hidden Secrets,
Commonly called, The Good-huswives Closet of provision, for the health of her Household. Gathered out of sundry experiments, lately practised by men of great knowledge: And now newly inlarged with divers necessary Physick helps, and knowledge of the names and disposition of diseases, that most commonly happen to Men and Women. Not imeprtinant for every good Huswife to us ein her House, amongst her own Family. [Printers woodcut device] LONDON, Printed by Jane Bell, and to be sold at the East-end of Christ-Church, 1653.
Quarto, A-I in 4's. 1fep. Title page. [1] A2 - FINIS. [Total pp 63] 3p The Table. 1fep. Original full dark brown calf. Blind tooled border line to boards. Spine with gilt lines and lettering re-laid. Pages are age browned with browning to edges. Text in black letter. Top of one leaf restored without loss. A good copy of an extremely rare book.
- John Partridge was an Elizabethan author of historical poem-romance. The earthy, mundane cookbook was an unusual transgression from the norm. His book, the ‘Treasury of Hidden Secrets’ was a popular 16th and early 17th century English handbook of cookery, herbals, and medicine. First published around 1573, it was printed in London by Richard Jones, and gives John Partridge as the author. It was frequently reprinted for over 75 years; the present volume is that of the 1653 edition printed by Jane Bell. The earliest extant copy of the book is the 1573 edition. Its title was ‘The Treasurie of Commodious Conceits & Hidden Secrets’, reprinted in 1584, again by Jones, the title-page advertised it as 'now the fourth time corrected, and inlarged,' The Elizabethan printer might have been exclusively a printer, or both bookseller and printer; but booksellers were not necessarily printers. Both printers and booksellers in London were tightly controlled, licensed, censored, and fined for violations. Some copies note that Jones’s 1584 printing was 'at Eliot’s Court Press for Henry Car,' suggesting Car as a bookseller who helped to finance the printing. When the book was reprinted in 1591, Richard Jones is now located ‘at the Rose and Crowne neere Holborne bridge.’ The Bodleian’s bibliographic record suggests J. Charlewood as the 1591 printer. Jones is again given as printer for the 1596 edition. The book was again reprinted in 1608. This seems to be the latest date that the name John Partridge occurs in the text; subsequent editions are published anonymously. The next reprint was in 1627, from a new bookseller and printer; the book was ‘Printed [by Eliot’s Court Press] for E.B[rewster] and R.B[yrd], and are to be sold at the ‘signe of the Bible in Cheapside.’ By 1627 the phrase, ‘Commodious Conceits’ had dropped out of the title and the title page identifies it as ‘The Treasurie of Hidden Secrets.’ In 1633 it was first printed by a woman ‘Elizabeth All-de dwelling neere Christs-church.’ Elizabeth was the widow of Edward All-de, a typical London printer whose father, John, was also a printer and whose work and style was well known. In 1637 ‘Treasury’ was ‘printed by Richard Oulton, dwelling neere Christs-church.’ As McKerrow (genealogy resources) suggest that Allde died in 1628, Richard Oulton may have taken over the press from his widow by 1637. Finally, ‘Treasury’ was last reprinted in 1653 'by Jane Bell and to be sold at the East end of Christ-church.' Originals of the 1573 printing are held by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Henry E. Huntington Library. The only other work attributed to John Partridge is the cookery-medicine book called ‘The Widowes Treasure'. Partridge borrowed from a friend a copy of a household book written for the private use of ‘a gentlewoman in the country’, and decided it was his duty to publish it in 1585 under the title, 'The Widowes Treasure'. Copies of both Partridge's books are extremely rare, with none at auction since 1926. The BL only locates two other copies of the 1653 edition of ‘Treasury of Hidden Secrets’, one in the UK, and one in the US.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 11023

Peckham. Ann - Very scarce.
THE Complete English COOK
OR PRUDENT HOUSEWIFE.BEING, A Collection of the most general, yet least expen-sive RECEIPTS in every Branch of COOKERY and Good Housewifery, With DIRECTIONS for Roasting, Boiling, Stewing, Ragoos, Soops, Sauces, (a perpendicular separating line) Fricassees, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Cheese-cakes, Custards, Jellies, (a perpendicular separating line) Potting, Candying, Collaring, Pickling, Preserving, Made Wines &c. Together with Directions for placing Dishes on Tables of Entertainment: And many other Things equally ne-cessary. The whole made easy in the meanest Capacity, and far more useful to young beginners than any Book of the Kind extant. (a flat separating line) By ANN PECKHAM, of Leeds, Well know to have been for Forty Years one of the most noted Cooks in the County of York. (a flat separating line) The THIRD EDITION (a flat separating line) TO WHICH IS ADDED A SUPPLEMENT, Containing Forty Nine Receipts, never before printed. (a flat separating line) LEEDS: Printed for Griffith Wright and John Binns: And sold by G. Robinson, and Fielding and Walker, Paster-noster Row; J. Wallis, No. 16, Ludgate-Street, London; and all other Booksellers in Town and Country. [ Price Two Shillings Bound. ]
N/d. 12mo. 2 feps. Title page. [1] (1)iv. Preface. 5-218. 214-242 Illustrated pages of Dinners and Suppers for a whole year. 9 pages of Index. 2 feps. The whole text block lightly age browned throughout. Original dark brown leather boards with slightly scuffed corners. Sympathetically rebound spine in brown leather with raised bands and two red leather labels, with gilt text and lines. Overall, a nice copy of a very scarce title originating in and from Yorkshire.
- Not much can be found out about Ann Peckham, except from her book itself. She writes in her Preface that the recipes are the result of forty years practice in the best families in and about Leeds. She goes further, telling us amusingly, with a touch of Yorkshire plainness and prudence, that the recipes are not fluffed out with a nauseous hodge-podge of French kickshaws; and yet the real delicacies of the most sumptuous entertainments are by no means neglected. Oxford adds in the notes to his copy of Peckham’s Complete Cook, that the title page has been taken boldly from ‘The Complete English Cook’ by Cathrine Brooks. A disconcerting snippet that can't be reconciled in any way without further info or research. One wonders naturally, how much of Brooks’ recipes are also in the text. The first edition appeared in 1767, with a second of 1771. This undated third; circa 1775, is the first with a supplement. MacLean records two 4th editions of 1790. Cagle, page 662; Oxford, page 95; Bitting, page 360, citing a 3rd edition; Vicaire, page 669, also a 3rd edition.

click on image to enlarge

Antiquarian category

ref number: 11231