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Farley. John - The rare first edition
The London Art of Cookery,
AND HOUSEKEEPER'S COMPLETE ASSISTANT. On a NEW PLAN. Made Plain and Easy to the Understanding of every HOUSEKEEPER, COOK, and SERVANT in the Kingdom. CONTAINING, Proper Directions for the Choice of all Kinds of Provisions. Roasting and Boiling all Sorts of Butchers Meat, Poultry, Game, and Fish. Sauces for every Occasion. Soups, Broths, Stews, and Hashes. Made Dishes, Ragouts, and Fricasses. All Sorts of Pies and Puddings. Proper Instruction for dressing of Fruits and Vegetables. Pickling, Potting, and Preserving. The Prepeartion of Hmas, Tongues, and Bacon. The whole Art of Confectionary. Tarts, Puffs, and Pastries. Cakes, Custards, Jams, and Jellies. Drying, Candying, and Preserving Fruits, &c. Made Wines, Cordial Waters, and Malt Liquors. To which is added, AN APPENDIX, Cotaining Considerations on Culinary Poisins; Directions for making Broths, &c. for the Sick; a List of Things in Season in the different Months of the Year; Marketing Tables, &c. &c. Embeliched with A HEAD of the AUTHOR, and a Bill of Fare for every Month in the Year, elegantly engraved on Thirteen Copper-plates. By JOHN FARLEY, PRINCIPAL COOK AT THE LONDON TAVERN. LONDON: Printed for JOHN FEILDING, No.23, Pater-noster Row; and J. SCAT-CHERD and J. WHITTAKER, No.12, Ava Maria Lane, 1783. [Price Six Shillings Bound.]
FIRST EDITION. 1783. 3feps. [1]Engraved Frontispiecs of Farley - Publish'd Jan 1. 1783 ---. Title page. [1] (1)iv-vi Preface with facsimile signature of Farley. (1)viii-xx Contents. 12 engraved plates of Bills of Fare. (1)2-455. 456-459 Marketing Table. [1] 3feps. Full dark brown modern calf with blind tooling to the edge of the boards. The spine with raised bands and panels with gilt dentelles and enclosed gilt lines. Two labels, one red, one green with gilt writing. Water stains to the frontis and title page not affecting the text, nor Farley's portrait. Otherwise very clean internally. A lovely copy.
- Towards the end of the eighteenth century, large taverns had become fashionable banqueting places for gentlemen in London. This was reflected by their chefs and their published cookery books; This book by John Farley, Principal Cook at the London Tavern. Also Richard Brigg’s, ‘The English Art of Cookery’ from the Globe Tavern, Fleet St, the White Hart Tavern, Holburn and at the Temple Coffee House. Not forgetting Francis Collingwood and John Woolams, ‘The Universal Cook,’ from the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand. Farley's place of employment, The London Tavern in Bishopsgate Street was the largest restaurant and banqueting facility in the City. It held functions for up to two thousand five hundred people at a sitting. In E. Callow's book on 'Old London Taverns - 1901 & J. Timbs 'Clubs of London' 1872, we learn that the establishment was 'par excellence' and the 'temple of gastronomy' in London. It did not have a bar nor coffee house, with a facade so large and discreet that many people thought it was the Bank of England. It had a prodigious cellar that stretched to both sides lengthways, even under the neighbouring buildings and far out in the front under Bishopsgate Street itself. It held among its huge stock hundreds of barrels of Porter, butts of Sherry, 4,300 dozen bottles of port, 1,200 dozen Champagne, walls of bottled Claret six deep, etc etc. We are informed that the floors of the cellars were a river of sawdust. Also in a huge tank in the cellar that occupied a whole vault, we find two tons of live turtle. We are informed that they can keep in excellent condition for three months if kept in the same water in which they were brought to the country. We learn that to change the water to that available here lessens the weight and flavour of the Turtle. We can find in Farley's book tips and information on how he grew mushrooms in the cellars. What a place to work! The kitchen brigade must have been huge, the wage bill for the whole Tavern - a small fortune each week. In PPC 42 & 43, Fiona Lucraft lays out a very comprehensive and compelling piece of research that rightly condemns Farley of devious and outright plagiarism and proves that most of The London Art of Cookery has been taken straight from the cookery books of Hannah Glasse and Elizabeth Raffald. Nevertheless one gets a sense from Farley’s book that he was a very good professional cook proud of his high standards. He is one of the first English cooks to express (so typical of the French for more than a century) a continuing need for progress and improvement in the culinary arts. Farley in his introduction states with some pride that -- 'Cookery, like every other Art, has been moving forward to Perfection by slow Degrees; and, though the Cooks of the last Century boasted of having brought it to the highest Pitch it could bear, yet we find that daily improvements are still making therein, which must be the Case of every Art depending on Fancy and Taste: ---’ Farley appears to have very high standards of cleanliness and safety, repeatedly stressing in his book, the need for saucepans to be both clean and well tinned and he has an appendix on ‘culinary poisons’, particularly the risk of copper poisoning, which can happen when the tin wears down and exposes foodstuffs to the copper underneath. Whatever Fiona Lutcraft's excellent article in PPC proves, this is still an exceptional cookery book and gives a very good idea of the foods and dishes available at a highly reputed establishment. One has to assume that as Farley brought out his very popular book that ran to many editions, albeit, some of it plagarised, he also cooked and served a large percentage of the recipes at The London Tavern. As a footnote; the first luxury restaurant to open in Paris paid homage to Farley’s place of work. In 1782 - ‘La Grande Taverne de Londres,’ was founded. The owner, Antoine Beauvilliers, a leading culinary writer and gastronomic authority, later wrote L’Art du cuisinier (1814), a cookbook that became a standard work on French culinary art. This book of Farley's on view here is the extremely rare first edition, and is equally as rare as the first editions of Glasse and Raffald.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11035

Farley. John
The London Art of Cookery,
AND HOUSEKEEPER'S COMPLETE ASSISTANT. On a NEW PLAN. Made Plain and Easy to the Understanding of every HOUSEKEEPER, COOK, and SERVANT in the Kingdom. CONTAINING, Proper Directions for the Choice of all Kinds of Provisions. Roasting and Boiling all Sorts of Butchers Meat, Poultry, Game, and Fish. Sauces for every Occasion. Soups, Broths, Stews, and Hashes. Made Dishes, Ragouts, and Fricasses. All Sorts of Pies and Puddings. Proper Instruction for dressing of Fruits and Vegetables. Pickling, Potting, and Preserving. The Prepeartion of Hams, Tongues, and Bacon. The whole Art of Confectionary. The Preparation of Sugars. Tarts, Puffs, and Pastries. Cakes, Custards, Jams, and Jellies. Drying, Candying, and Preserving Fruits, &c. Made Wines, Cordial Waters, and Malt Liquors. To which is added, AN APPENDIX, Cotaining Considerations on Culinary Poisins; Directions for making Broths, &c. for the Sick; a List of Things in Season in the different Months of the Year; Marketing Tables, &c. &c. Embeliched with A HEAD of the AUTHOR, and a Bill of Fare for every Month in the Year, elegantly engraved on Thirteen Copper-plates. By JOHN FARLEY, PRINCIPAL COOK AT THE LONDON TAVERN. LONDON: The THIRD EDITION, With the Addition of upwards of One Hundred and Fifty new and elegant Receipts in the various Branches of Cookery. Printed for J. SCATCHERED and J. WHITTAKER, No.12, B. LAW, No. 13 Ava Maria Lane; and G. and T. WILKIE, St. Paul’s Church-Yard. 1785. [Price Six Shillings Bound.]
8vo. 1fep. [1] Engraved Frontispiece of Farley - Publish'd Jan 1. 1785 ---. Title page. [1] 4p Preface with facsimile signature of Farley. 2p Advertisement to the third edition. 24p Contents. 12 engraved plates of Bills of Fare with the back blank. (1)2-444. 445-448 Marketing Table. 1fep. Full mid-brown contemporary calf with a nice patina. The spine with raised bands and panels gilt lines and gilt writing. Oil stains to p255-264. Very slightly age browned, otherwise very nice internally. A good copy of an early edition.
- Farley's place of employment, The London Tavern in Bishopsgate Street was the largest restaurant and banqueting facility in the City. It held functions for up to two thousand, five hundred people at a sitting. In PPC 42 & 43, Fiona Lucraft lays out a very comprehensive and compelling piece of research that rightly condemns Farley of devious and outright plagiarism and proves that most of The London Art of Cookery has been taken straight from the cookery books of Hannah Glasse and Elizabeth Raffald. Nevertheless one gets a sense from Farley’s book that he was a very good professional cook proud of his high standards. He is one of the first English cooks to express (so typical of the French for more than a century) a continuing need for progress and improvement in the culinary arts. Farley in his introduction states with some pride that -- 'Cookery, like every other Art, has been moving forward to Perfection by slow Degrees; and, though the Cooks of the last Century boasted of having brought it to the highest Pitch it could bear, yet we find that daily improvements are still making therein, which must be the Case of every Art depending on Fancy and Taste: ---’ Farley appears to have very high standards of cleanliness and safety, repeatedly stressing in his book, the need for saucepans to be both clean and well tinned and he has an appendix on ‘culinary poisons’, particularly the risk of copper poisoning, which can happen when the tin wears down and exposes the copper underneath to foodstuffs. Whatever Fiona Lutcraft's excellent article in PPC proves, this is still an exceptional cookery book and gives a very good idea of the foods and dishes available at a highly reputed establishment.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11136

Farley. John & Co-Partners. - Superlatively rare, signed by Farley and two other directors.
An original Indenture for the London Tavern signed by John Farley the famous cook.
Signed individually by all parties, for “ a new partnership in the trade and business of a Vintner of and in the said House and Tavern called the London Tavern in Bishopsgate Street aforesaid for the Term of Seven Years”.
Two large vellum membranes - 711 x 838mm. Folded in typical indenture folds for filing and storage with top outer part showing in fine ink script, dated 1800 and Farley, Terry and Peacock’s names and their ‘Articles of Co-Partnership’. The exterior fold has some light soiling and browning to one outer edge where its has been stored on a shelf for many years, but internally its very clean. The beginning of the indenture has a large elaborate heading in ink and a good cursive hand is evident throughout the whole manuscript. The signatures of Farley, Terry and Peacock are at the bottom, each with a small red seal. Overall an excellent item.
- John Farley was the well-known Head Cook of the London Tavern whose famous cookery book ‘The London Art of Cookery’ was first published in 1783. When he started and finished his tenure there is hard to establish. We do know that his time at the London Tavern extended for many years, and he played a large role in its fine reputation and success. In The Old Bailey trial accounts for the 16th September 1795, it is recorded that a man, Clark Hillard, was indicted on August the 4th for stealing from the London Tavern. The accusers, named as the directors of the Tavern, were John Bleadon, John Farley, Edward Terry and John Henry Peacock. Five years later John Bleadon has left and the three remaining directors have re-applied for, and been granted this Vintner’s licence on August 8th 1800, for a period of seven years at a cost of £1500.oo per annum. The document further states that the directors were fined £400.oo for letting the licence lapse on the June 29th of the same year. It appears the variance in lapse dates happened because John Bleadon had stepped down as a director. The license also notes that if there is going to be a change in the future Vintners partnership it should be done by the fourth year of its term. In John Timb’s book ‘Club Life of London’ we are informed The London Tavern was re-built on the western side of Bishops-gate Street Within on the site of the former White Lion Tavern, which burned down on November 7th 1765. It was completed by Richard B. Jupp, architect, and opened in September 1768. Taking up a large footprint on the site of the current Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, the Tavern was a huge building, 80ft wide and 70ft tall. It boasted many private dining rooms and a very large public room; the Great Dining Room or 'Pillar Room', measuring 40x33 feet. On the floor above was the Ballroom measuring 33 feet in width and extending the whole length of the building. This room could also be converted to a banqueting room that would hold 300 dining guests. The room also had two galleries at each end to allow 150 ladies as spectators. An unusual concept!? After doing further research I could not find any other facts that confirmed this was a common setup in other eating establishments. This strengthens though, the fact that dining out in Taverns and Clubs was the domain of men only. (This setup would only be truly broken when Cesar Ritz designed and run his famous Hotels in the latter part of the nineteenth century for the exclusive comfort of women, in the sure and very astute understanding that when the women came to dine, the men would follow, with the inevitable desire to book rooms as well.) Not only did the London Tavern have many floors, it also had many levels in its basement, which even stretched under the adjoining buildings on both sides. One of basement floors had a number of huge vats installed, that each held two tons of live Turtles. We are further informed that if the Turtles are kept in the same water as they were shipped in they will survive very well for 3 months. To change the water would lessen the weight and flavour of the animal. This beautifully written Vintners license covered a huge cellar. Timb’s description states that the cellar covered one huge basement storey, filled with barrels of Porter, pipes of Port, butts of Sherry etc. There were labyrinth walls of bottles and a huge region of bins, six bottles deep; described as the catacombs of Johannisberg, Tokay and Burgandy. Also in storage, 1200 Champagne, 700 Claret and thousands of genial wines. We are informed those wines also absorb an interest of 5% per annum. All over this vast wine store Timb’s quaintly describes “floors with rivers of sawdust”. The final chapter in the story of The London Tavern happened around 1910 when it was demolished. After 142 years of being one of the most famous and prestigious grand City restaurants, its name was appropriated by the proprietors of the nearby King's Head Tavern in Fenchurch St. Finally, this exceptionally rare, large Indenture is a fantastic piece of ephemera, not only because of John Farley’s rare signature, but as a glimpse of what a serious and expensive business it was to be granted and hold a Vintners license in eighteenth century England.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11217

Francatelli. Charles Elme -Very rare book with equally rare Francatelli ephemera
A PLAIN COOKERY BOOK FOR THE WORKING CLASSES.
BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI, LATE MAITRE D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" AND "THE COOK'S GUIDE." LONDON; GEORGE ROUTELEDGE AND SONS, THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE. 2. A 4 PAGE PAMPHLET FOR ROBINSON'S "PATENT" GROATS. BY THE LATE C.E. FRANCATELLI, ex MAITRE d'HOTEL TO HER LATE MAJESTY.
FIRST EDITION - 1862: 154x101x10mm. 12mo. A tipped-in new end-paper and fep. 4p. Advertisements. [1] Frontispiece. Title page. [1] (1)10-11 Introduction. [1] (1)14-101. (1)103-105. [1] p22 Advertisements. A tipped-in new fep and end-paper. Original cloth cover with blue printed lettering. A little soiled but still legible. Housed in a clam-shell box, dark brown half calf with matching brown cloth boards and calf corners. Raised bands with gilt lines. Two labels, green and red with gilt lettering. A rare copy in the original state. ITEM 2. 134x83mm. 4 cream coloured pages. Direction for use. Two of the four pages are recipes by Francatelli. Condition as new.
- In 1852, Francatelli got the food company Brown and Polson to be a sponsor of this book. In return, he gave Brown and Polson space for a large advertisement at the back, and mentioned their products by name in several of the recipes. This little volume is by far the scarcest of all Francatelli's books. It was a novel and astute idea for a popular cookery book, and was very popular with poorer people who could not afford the recipes of the cook books recording the abundant consumption of the landed gentry in their great houses. In 1854, Soyer published his equally famous little book 'A Shilling Cookery for the People' that one suspects was his response and reaction to the popularity of Francatelli's original effort, which also became over time much scarcer than Soyer's. It is easy to see why. The delicate stitching, the easily soiled covers coupled with the relative simplicity of the recipes, plus the fact they were viewed as booklets rather than books, ensured they were not overly valued. Most likely stored badly in a kitchen drawer or shelf and not considered worthy of a place of relative safety next more expensive and cherished books. This is reflected in the fact that they are very rare in the complete state and much valued by collectors. Giving this item more value is the small 4 pages of recipes by Francatelli for groats. These four pages of ephemera, especially the two pages with Francalli's recpes are as collectable as finding one of his menus or one of his books with signature. This is as rare as the enclosed cookery book.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10958

Francatelli. Charles Elme - The rare first edition
The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant;
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON ENGLISH AND FOREIGN COOKERY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; CONTAINING PLAIN DIRECTIONS FOR PICKLING AND PRESERVING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, GAME, &C, The Curing of Hams and Bacon; THE ART OF CONFECTIONARY AND ICE-MAKING, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF DESSERTS. WITH VALUABLE DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPER DIET FOR INVALIDS; ALSO FOR A VARIETY OF WINE-CUPS; AND EPICUREAN SALADS,AMERICAN DRINKS, AND SUMMER BEVERAGES. BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI. PUPIL OF THE CELEBRATED CAREME, AND MAITRE-D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" WITH UPWARDS OF FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON; RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1861. (Right of Translation is Reserved)
FIRST EDITION. 1861. 1fep. Frontispiece with light water stains and slight foxing. Title page.[1] 1+iv-vi Preface. a2 Postscript.[1] 1+viii Illustrations. 1+x-xx Contents. 1+2-452. 1+454-484 Bills of Fare. 1+486-488 Glossary. 1+490-512 Index. p22 of very interesting Advertisements on pink paper. 1fep. Two plates of Appetisers facing pages 114 and 130 . Original bottle green cloth boards with blind tooling and a neatly relaid and slightly darkened original cloth spine with blind tooling and gilt writing. The guttering has been strengthened. With twenty nine in-text and two full page illustrations. A very nice copy in the original state.
- Despite his name and his French training, Charles Elmé Francatelli was English by nationality. He wrote several important cookbooks, and held in succession three of the most prestigious cooking positions in England at that time. Francatelli, of Italian ancestry, was born in London in 1805, but grew up in France. There, he learnt cooking, getting a diploma from the Parisian College of Cooking, and working under the great French chef Marie Antonin Carême. (Some sense of Careme's grand influence can be seen in this book from p197 where in-text illustrations, of Pates, Timbales, Chartreuses, Mazarines and Croustades etc. enhance the recipes.) Upon his return to England, he worked for various places and people of distinction; such as Rossie Priory and Chesterfield House; As 'Chef de Cuisine' for the Earl of Chesterfield; At Chislehurst in Kent for Sir Herbert Jenner-Fust; At the Coventry House Club; He also cooked for the Earl of Errol. On February 4th 1839, he started as 'Chef de Cuisine' at Crockford's Club in London, taking over from the previous chef Louis Eustache Ude, who had just quit in a salary dispute at the start of February. (Disraeli didn't think much of Francatelli's chances at following in Ude's footsteps, but time was to prove him wrong.) He didn't stay at Crockford's long, though; by 1840 or 1841, he started work for Queen Victoria as Maitre d'Hotel and 'Chief Cook in Ordinary' at Windsor, staying there for four years. In 1845, he published his book "The Modern Cook." in England and in America the following year. The book sold well on both sides of the Atlantic. In it, he advocated two courses for meals -- a savoury followed by dessert, which is still mostly the norm today. In 1850, he then became 'Chef de Cuisine' at the Reform Club, taking over from Alexis Soyer, who had resigned in May of that year. Francatelli worked there with distinction for seven years. In 1852, he got the food company Brown and Polson to be a sponsor of his very rare little book, "A Plain Cookery-Book for the Working Classes". In return, he gave Brown and Polson space for a large advertisement at the back of the book, and mentioned their products by name in several of his recipes. In 1861 he published this book, "The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant", which became the book of reference for any well-managed household. His last job was at the Freemasons' Tavern in London. He died on 10 August 1876 at Eastbourne, England. The Times ran an obituary for him on 19 August 1876 titled "An Illustrious Chef" (page 4 of that day's paper.) As a small footnote, it is known that a younger cousin of his, whom he never met, Laura Mabel Francatelli (c. 1880 or 1881 - 2 June 1967), survived the Titanic. She was travelling as secretary to Lady (Lucy) Duff-Gordon, a fashion designer at the time, who also used a sister of Laura, Phyllis Francatelli, as a model.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11028

Francatelli. Charles Elme
The Modern Cook
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE CULINARY ART IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; COMPRISING IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH COOKERY, THE MOST APPROVED AND RECHERCHE SYSTEMS OF FRENCH, ITALIAN, AND GERMAN COOKERY. ADAPTED FOR THE LARGEST ESTABLISHMENTS AND FOR PRIVATE FAMILIES. CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI, PUPIL OF THE CELEBRATED CAREME, AND LATE MAITRE-D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. WITH SIXTY ILLUSTRATIONS. ELEVENTH EDITION CAREFULLY REVISED, AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty.
Undated but printed 1853. Marbled paste-down and endpaper. [2] Frontisepiece of a young Francatelli, slightly foxed and laid down on a strip to re-inforce the edges and with the gutter re-inforced. Title page age browned. [1] 1p Dedication. [1] 2p Preface. (1)-xii Contents. (1)xiv-xv Glossary. [1] (1)2-474. (1)476-538 Bills of Fare. (1)540-552 Index. [1] Marbled back paste-down and endpaper. Dark blue half calf with dark blue cloth boards. The spine slightly sun bleached with raised bands, gilt lines and lettering.
- One of the culinary legends of his time, Charles Elme Francatelli(1805-1877) was an Englishman of Italian ancestry who journeyed to France for the opportunity to work under the legendary Chef Marie Antoine Careme who many call "the architect of French cuisine." Francatelli was revered for his blending of the best of Italian and French cuisine, it wasn't long before he was appointed "Chef de Cuisine" to the Earl of Chesterfield and later to both the Earl of Dudley and Lord Kinnaird. When Francatelli tired of his royal duties he detoured into public life where he seized the reins of the Crockford's Club which was the place to be seen in the mid 1800's. He later moved on to take a turn at the St. James's Club where he attracted the attention of her Royal Highness Queen Victoria who wooed him into her employ. But the public life was in Francatelli's blood and even the Queen could not hold him for long. He moved on to become the 'chef en charge' at the Coventry House Club, then went off to put in seven years as the chef de cuisine to the Reform Club, and had stints at the St. James's Hotel, Berkeley Street, Piccadilly, and finished his career at the Freemasons' Tavern where he remained until just before his death. The Times attributed to him, the following side-note; "A chef to nobility and a cook for the common man" Although Francatelli had the experience, charm and flourish necessary to please the highest of Royalty, his greatest love was the simple act of cooking. In 1845, he published his first book "The Modern Cook." in England and in America in the following year. The book sold well on both sides of the Atlantic and was so popular that it went through an amazing twelve editions. In it, he advocated two courses for meals -- a savoury followed by dessert, which is how most everyday eating is done now. Besides "The Modern Cook" Francatelli wrote three other cookery classics; * 1852. A Plain Cookery-Book for the Working Classes (contained over 240 recipes). * 1861. Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's Butler's Assistant. London: Richard Bentley and Son. * 1862. The Royal English and Foreign Confectioner. London: Chapman and Hall.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11029

Francatelli. Charles Elme - A first edition.
THE ROYAL ENGLISH AND FOREIGN CONFECTIONER:
1862 A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE ART OF CONFECTIONARY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; COMPRISING ORNAMENTAL CONFECTIONARY ARTISTICALLY DEVELOPED; DIFFERENT METHODS OF PRESERVING FRUITS, FRUIT PULPS, AND JUICES IN BOTTLES, THE PREPARATION OF JAMES AND JELLIES, FRUIT, AND OTHER SYRUPS, SUMMER BEVERAGES, AND A GREAT VARIETY OF NATIONAL DISHES; WITH DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING DESSERT CAKES, PLAIN AND FANCY BREAD, CANDIES, BONBONS, COMFITS, SPIRITOUS ESSENCES, AND CORDIALS. ALSO, THE ART OF ICE-MAKING, AND THE ARRANGEMENT AND GENERAL ECONOMY OF FASIONABLE DESSERTS. BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI, PUPIL TO HE CELEBRATED CAREME, AND LATE MAITRE D'HOTEL TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN; AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK," "THE COOKS GUIDE," AND "COOKERY FOR THE WORKING CLASSES." With numerous Illustrations in Chromo-Lithography. LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICADILLY. 1862. (The rights of Translaton is reserved.)
FIRST EDITION. 1fep. Half title. [2] Frontispiece of a Brides Cake. Title page. [1] (1)vi-viii Preface. (1)x-xxiii Contents. [1] (1)xxvi-xxviiList of Illustrations. [1] (1)2-396. 4p Bills of Fare. (1)402-422 Index. (1)2-18 Advertisements. Original navy blue cloth with ornate blind tooling and a fresh gilt deice on the front cover. The spine sympathetically relaid with the original cloth and gilt lettering and tooling. slightly darker than the boards. Overall a nice bright clean copy externally and internally with very light foxing to the half title and title pages. This is the scarce 1st edition not usually found in such good condition. There was also a 2nd of 1866 and a 3rd of 1874.
- Although little is written about him today Charles Elme Francatelli (1805-1876) was one of the culinary celebrities of his time. An Englishman of Italian extraction who traveled to France to work under the legendary Antonin Carême the founder of French haute cuisine. Revered for his blending of the best of Italian and French cuisine, Francatelli was regarded as a leading chef in Victorian London and spent most of his career in Britain directing the kitchens of several aristocrats and nobleman. In particular his early career saw him in the employ of the Earl of Chesterfield, Earl of Dudley and Lord Kinnaird at Rossie Priory in Perthshire. In 1840 he was back in London managing the plush and fashionable Crockford's, a successful private club and gaming house on the west side of St James's street. Despite only being at Crockford's for a brief period it was to prove a successful move. Spotted by a steward of the royal household Francatelli was appointed maitre-d'hotel and chief cook in ordinary to the Queen. Although his royal appointment was short it was undoubtedly a highlight in his career. As to why he left is not clear. Some people speculate that it may have been Queen Victoria's lack of enthusiasm for French cuisine or maybe Prince Albert's tendency toward less extravagant culinary preparations. Either way in 1842 Francatelli left his royal duties after serving just one year. His next post saw Francatelli undertake the culinary management of the Coventry House Club, #106 Piccadilly (this became the St James's club in 1869, a gentleman's club that occupied the premises for over 100 years). In 1854 he was appointed chef de cuisine at the Reform Club whose kitchens designed by its first chef Alexis Soyer were described as the greatest in London. Francatelli remained there for seven years. Between 1863 and 1870 he managed the St. James's Hotel in Berkeley Street, and then joined the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street, a post he held until just before his death in 1876. Although Francatelli had the experience, charm and flourish necessary to please the highest of Royalty, his greatest love was the simple act of cooking. Even though he was able to dress the costliest and elaborate of banquets and despite working for some of the most distinguished of British aristocracy and gentry, Francatelli was known as a culinary economist. Often quoted, he once remarked that "he could feed every day a thousand families on the food that was wasted in London". To this end in 1852 he issued A ‘Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes’, which contained information of practical value to the working classes. This included economical delights such as cow-heel broth, bubble and squeak , sheep's pluck and a pudding made of small birds. Known for his sweet tooth, Francatelli’s fourth book, "The Royal English and Foreign Confectionery Book" - 1862, was to be his last published work. Francatelli died at Eastbourne on 10 Aug. 1876 as one of the fortunate people who lived their lives doing what they loved best.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11032

Francatelli. Charles Elme - signed by author & editor: Herman Senn.
The Modern Cook
BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI EDITED BY C. HERMAN SENN. G.C.A. MACMILLAN AND CO. LIMITED ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1911
12mo. 1fep. Half Title page. [1] Title page. With a signed handwritten dedication 'To Mr C.L. Rothsay. with C Herman Senn's best wishes and kindest regards CHS. Jan 1/19/12. [1] v-vi Preface. vii-viii Introduction. ix-xi Contents. [1] 1-471. [1] 473-508 Specimen Menus. 509-513 Wine Cups. 513=519 Glossary. [1] 521-546 Index. 1p Advertisement. [1] 1fep. Full red cloth binding with gilt writing on the spine. Overall clean but with cracked and rubbed edges. Internally very clean.
- Herman Senn was a very under-rated author and prolific writer of cookery books and one of the founders of the Universal Cookery and Food Association - UCFA. A hugely influential member of the English catering industry at that time. This is a late edition of Francatelli's classic cookery book edited and signed by Senn and as such is an unusual collectors copy.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11128

Francatelli. Charles Elme - In amazing original condition.
The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant;
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON ENGLISH AND FOREIGN COOKERY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; CONTAINING PLAIN INSTRUCTIONS FOR PICKLING AND PRESERVING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, GAME, &C, The Curing of Hams and Bacon; THE ART OF CONFECTIONARY AND ICE-MAKING, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF DESSERTS. WITH VALUABLE DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPER DIET FOR INVALIDS; ALSO FOR A VARIETY OF WINE-CUPS; AND EPICUREAN SALADS, AMERICAN DRINKS, AND SUMMER BEVERAGES. BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI. PUPIL OF THE CELEBRATED CAREME, SEVEN YEARS CHEF DE CUISINE TO THE REFORM CLUB, AND MAITRE-D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" WITH UPWARDS OF FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS. FIFTY-THIRD THOUSAND. LONDON; RICHARD BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, PUBLISHERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. 1884. (ALL Right Reserved)
175x125mm. 1fep. [1] Frontispiece. Title page with tissue guard. [1] (1)iv-vi Preface. (1)viii Illustrations.(1)x-xx Contents. (1)2-463. [1] 465-496 Bills of Fare. 497-500 Glossary. 501-524 Index. 1fep. Fully bound in pristine original chocolate brown cloth with ornamental black tooling all over and bright gilt writing on the spine. Speckled edges. In extra fine condition, almost as new, with very slight foxing on the frontis.
- Charles Elmé Francatelli was English by nationality. He wrote several important cookbooks, and held one of the most prestigious cooking positions in England at that time. In 1840 or 1841, he started work for Queen Victoria as Maitre d'Hotel and 'Chief Cook in Ordinary' at Windsor, staying there for four years. This is a late edition of Francatelli's 'Cook's Guide' which are not uncommon. What makes this copy so desirable is the remarkable original condition. What one wonders when seeing this book, is where has it been kept for the last 125 years. A fine collector's item or very nice present.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11145

Francatelli. Charles Elme - A very rare American edition.
FRANCATELLI'S COOKERY BOOK.
A PLAIN COOKERY BOOK FOR THE WORKING CLASSES BY CHARLES ELME FRAMCATELLI LATE CHEIF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN . AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" AND "THE COOK'S GUIDE."LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL - NEW YORK: 416, BROOME STREET.
170mm x 108mm. n/d. Inner cover and 1 fep covered in advertisements. [1] Frontispiece on verso. Title page. [1] (1)10-11 Introduction. [1] (1)14-101. (1)103-105 Index. [1] (1)4-20 Avertisements. 1 fep and and back cover page covered in advertisements. Very clean original hard boards covered with green cloths with fine intricate black blind stamped tooling of a typical Victorian design. Overall the boards, spine and interior in very fine condition.
- This undated American version appears to be even rarer than the English edition of Francatelli's 'Cookery Book for the Working Classes.' COPAC shows only one 2nd edition of Francatelli's 'Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes' held at the University of London. This edition has the same English printer and publisher as the English 'Working Classes' edition but has the Broome St, New York address added. Also the Routledge advertisements pasted to the back cover has an American Library of US authors, even having titles by Mark Twain. With its hard cover as opposed to the softer cheaper covers of the English editions and its slightly larger format, this copy has been subtly altered to suit a slightly more affluent society. It is formatted exactly the same as the English version, with the same page numbers and recipes. One gets the impression that Routledge just tried to see if the very popular English version rebound to suit the US market would prove to be as popular. As it is so rare to find a copy, one then assumes not many were sold nor printed. In fifty years of collecting I have seen just two English copies and only this one US copy. None are recorded in any of the bibliographies. Very rare indeed.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11218