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ANON. - Very rare.
Adam's Luxury and Eve's Cookery
OR,THE Kitchen-Garden display’d. In Two Parts. 1. Shewing the best and most approved Methods of raising and bringing to the greatest Perfection, all the Products of the Kitchen-Garden; with a Kalendar shewing the different Products of each Month, and the Business proper to be done in it. 11. Containing a large Collections of Receipts for dressing all Sorts of Kitchen Stuff, so as to afford a great Variety of cheap, healthful, and palata-ble Dishes. To which is Added, The Physical Virtues of every Herb and Root. (a line) Designed for the Use of all who would live Cheap, and pre-serve their Health to old Age ; particularly for Farmers and Tradesmen in the Country, who have but small Pieces of Garden Ground, and are willing to make the most of it. (a line) LONDON: Printedc for R. Dobsley, in Pall-Mall ; and Sold by M. Cooper, at the Globe in Pater-noster Row. (a line) MDCCXLIV.
FIRST AND SOLE EDITION. 1744. 12mo. Inside-cover with the bookplate of Mary Chadsey. 1fep. Half Title with small thin 1” piece torn from outer edge without loss, also with ownership inscription “Elizabeth Wynn 1761”. [1]. Title page. [1]. The Introduction - (1) with woodcut headpiece, vi – xii, with woodcut tailpiece. (1) Top woodcut border and decorated initial letters, 2-211. The garden Kalendar starts on p 81. The second part starts on p 101. (1)213-216. 2feps with ownership inscription “Gwen Thomas her book – 1774. Bound in modern full brown calf with two-tone panels on boards. Spine with raised bands and red label with gilt lettering and lines. Bottom compartment with gilt date – 1744. The first few leaves slightly browned but overall in very good condition.
- An unusual old cookery book. It has interesting information and very good advice on the first 80 pages on growing all items in the Kitchen garden. Then 20 pages of very precise Kalendar [sic] information. The second section of 110 pages has unusually for the time, good and detailed recipes. Not all recipes are purely vegetarian as some require meat stocks. This is an important item of any collection of early English cookery books. It helps explain why COPAC lists no less than nineteen British libraries holding a copy. Only 3 copies in auction in 30 years. One of which came up twice. Bitting p 514; Cagle p 541; MacLean p 3; Oxford p 74.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11201

Anon. - The great Diet & Health treatise in verse.
Regimen Sanitatis Salerni:
OR THE SCHOOLE OF SALERNES REGEMENT of HEALTH. Containing, Most Learned and judicious Directions and Instructi-ons, for Preservation, Guide, and Government of MANS LIFE. Dedicated, Unto the late High and Mighty King of England, from that University, and published (by consent of learned Physicians) for a generall good. Reviewed, corrected, and enlarged with a Commentary for the more plain and easie understanding thereof. [two lines] By P.H. Dr, in Physicke, deceased. [one line] Whereunto is annexed, A necessary Discourse of all sorts of Fish, in use among us, with their effects appertaining to the Health of Man. As Also, Now, and never before, is added certain precious and approved Ex-periments for Health, by a Right Honourable, and Noble Personage. [one line] London, printed by B. Alsop, dwelling in Grub-Street near the Upper-Pump, 1649.
183 x 142 mm. 1fep. Title page surrounded by a thick floral border. [1] 2p Epistle Dedicatory. (x)2-206 with occasional marginalia in a fine script. 10p The Table. 207-220 Excellent and approved Receipts, 3p The Table of additional Receipts. [1] 1 fep. The whole text block uniformly browned through out. Pages 14-46 with excellent repairs not affecting the text. Original full dark brown calf with blind tooled lines on the spine and a small dark red calf label with gilt lettering. Inside and out this copy looks its age but not objectionable. A desirable copy in the original state.
- The Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum (from Latin: Salerno Rule of Health) is a medieval didactic poem in hexameter verse written as part of the Medical School of Salerno in the XII - XIII century. Although it is commonly dated around that time, some sources argue that it dates back to 1050. The work, probably dedicated to Robert II Duke of Normandy and pretender to the English throne who was in Salerno in 1099 returning from the First Crusade. The text shows signs of the ‘School of Salerno’ for everything about hygiene, food, diet, herbs and their therapeutic properties. The author is unknown, although some attribute it to a certain Giovanni Da Milano (John of Milan), perhaps a disciple of Constantine the African; the text, however, has undergone several contributions over the centuries. It was also translated into almost all European languages, and reached nearly 40 editions before 1501, many of which were added to, or material taken away from the original version. The first English translation was made by Sir John Harington in 1608 . The first printing, containing 364 verses in Latin, was published in 1480, and annotated and edited by Arnold of Villanova; the book was enormously popular and was held in high regard as a textbook for teaching and the dissemination of medicine. It was used for that purpose until the nineteenth century, when an attempt to make a medically accurate translation was made in 1871 by the American doctor John Ordronaux. The Regimen was very popular because the rhyming verses were easy to remember. It was organized by the six ‘non-naturals’. According to Galen, they are: air, food and drink, sleeping and waking, motion and rest, excretions and retentions, and number six, dreams and the passions of the soul. The original content addressed the humors, the complexions (temperaments), and some diseases. It also contains text on phlebotomy, providing information on bloodletting. An interesting read of a far-reaching text and medieval medical classic that can also lie easily along side early cookery classics and treatises. It was not until the late 18th century that medicinal receipts, usually found at the back of most printed cookery books was fazed out.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11224

ANON. - 6 Vols. in 3 Tomes.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
THE MAGAZINE OF DOMESTIC ECONIMY. VOLUME THE FIRST - FIFTH. (a single thin straight line) WE ARE BOTRN AT HOME, WE LIVE AT HOME, AND WEE MUST DIE AT HOME, SO THAT THE COMFORT AND ECONOMY OF HOME ARE MORE DEEP AND HEART-FELT, AND PERSONAL INTEREST TO US,THAN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD. (a single thin straight line) LONDON: PUBLISHED BY ORR AND SMITH, PATERNOSTER ROW; AND W. & R. CHAMBERS, EDINBURGH. (a single very small thin straight line) MDCCCCXXXVI.
Three thick Volumes. 220 x 147 x 49 mm. 1st VOL: 1st TOME: 1fep. Title page. [1] (1)iv Preface. (1)ii - iii Introduction. 4 - 382. (1)384 - 387 Index. 2nd VOL: [1] Half Title. [1] Title Page. [1] (1)2 - 376. (1)378 - 380. Index. 1fep. 3rd VOL: 2nd TOME: 1fep. Half-Title [1] Title page. [1] (1)2 - 376. (1)378 - 380. Index. 1fep. 4th VOL: 1fep. Half-Title [1] Title page. [1] (1)2 - 376. (1)378 - 380. Index. 1fep. 5th VOL: 3rd TOME: 1fep. Half-Title [1] Title page. [1] (1)2 - 376. (1)378 - 380. Index. 1fep. 6th VOL: 1fep. Half-Title [1] Title page. [1] (1)2 - 376. (1)378 - 380. Index. 1fep. All fully bound in dark green embossed silk with light brown label. with gilt text and tooling. Overall all volumes slightly age browned with very slight foxing throughout. A fine set.
- If you look at Item Ref: 11279 on this site, you can see the four volumes of Cassell's company produced books about the 'Household' with no authorship attributed. This is also the case when you peruse these three volumes here published by William S. Orr's publishing house. It's obvious both are typical of a Victorian printed genre aimed at a burgeoning middle-class due to the huge ramp-up of the British industrial revolution. The big difference is that these Orr produced volumes are full of all manner of things that the Victorian husband and wife would need, but without illustrations nor colour plates to enrich the production, whereas the Cassell books are heavily illustrated with chromolithograph colour plates and practical black and white vignettes. The Cassell production was a direct response to the famous O.S. Beeton and Ward Lock publishing phenomenon of Isabella Beeton's 'Household Management'. But Beeton's book itself was a direct response to this type of earlier book here. One of the other big differences besides the gaps in years, between all three household books is that Beeton's is attributed to Isabella and not just a company. William S. Orr was a publishers' agent from the 1830s, and was a close associate of Robert and William Chambers, (the other publisher named in these six volumes). He printed a London edition of 'Chambers's Edinburgh Journal' by mid-1832. The arrangement used stereotype plates, and brought the circulation up to 50,000. He published these volumes of 'Household Economy' in 1936. By 1845 the overall circulation was declining from its peak, and Orr wrote to Chambers explaining that the market was changing. In 1846 Chambers terminated the arrangement with Orr. Punch magazine, set up in 1841, brought in Orr to help with distribution to booksellers and news agents. Orr died in 1873. Whatever the publishing merits or not of these books, they are fascinating pragmatic advice for everything needed to be known about the setting up of a comfortable Victorian home.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11280

ANON. - The names of authors written in ink.
THE ART OF DINING;
or GASTRONOMY AND GASTRONOMERS, (single fine line) LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBERMARLE STREET. 1852. 2nd PART: MUSIC AND THE ART OF DRESS. TWO ESSAYS REPRINTED FORM THE 'QUARTERY REVIEW.' (single fine line) LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBERMARLE STREET. 1852.
FIRST EDITION. 172 X 110 mm. 2FEPS. Title page, with author's name; By A. Hayward QC. Verso: Adverts for John Murray publications. (1)Prefatory Notice. [1] (1) - vi Contents. (1)2 - 128. (1)130 - 137 Appendix. Verso Adverts for John Murray publications. 2nd. PART. Title page, with author's name; By Lady Eastlake. [1] (1) - vi Contents. (1)2 - 112. 2feps. Quarter light tan leather binding with marbled paper and light tan leather tips to boards. Spine with blind and gilt tooling and black and gilt label. All text block edges marbled. An elegant book.
- A hugely fascinating book with articles from at least ten famous (at the time) people: Lords, Lady's, Diplomats, Counts and Editors. The author whose name in ink adorns the top of the title page of the first part seems to be by Abraham Hayward QC. who wrote many articles, letters and reviews. The second author whose name also appears in ink atop the second title page is Lady Elizabeth Eastlake, a 43 year-old in 1852. A reviewer, translator and essayist, who was famously the object of hallucination by the great English painter J.M.W. Turner, on his deathbed. On pages 30/31 there is a very interesting detailed report by a Lady Morgan, (famous Irish author and reviewer) about a dinner cooked by Careme at Baron Rothschild's villa. Before this, on page 29, there are a series of distinctions of the varying professional merits of the two most famous Chefs of the time, and alleged rivals; Careme and Beauvilliers. Careme is viewed as superior on 'invention' and Beauvilliers' more remarkable for 'judgement' but had exhausted the old world of the art, while Careme discovered a new one. On page 73 after a discussion of the great culinary reputations of the current crop of named British Chefs and their placements, it is Louis Eustache Ude whom they place at the top, due to his twenty years educating the palate of the late Earl of Sefton. This is the same Ude who wrote the famous book of cookery titled 'The French Cook', and later the Chef de Cuisine of Crockfords Club in St. James's, Mayfair. Page after page of anecdotes, gossip and essays of the History of Cookery, the Gastronomic effects of the French Revolution, accounts of Paris Restaurants, famous Dinners in England, merits of female and male Cooks etc etc. Of great interest to anyone who wants more detailed information on the great Chefs of that era, and their famous Patrons.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11286

ANON. - Two instruction manuals, one old and rare; one modern.
ITEM 1. NAPKIN FOLDING: ITEM 2. THE BEAUTY OF THE FOLD.
ITEM 1. Series of Fully Illustrated Original Designs. Printed by Newton and Eskell. 1891. Full-page diagrams throughout with facing letterpress description with forty-nine designs including: The True-Lovers' Knot; The Cockle-Shell; The Lady Betty Balfour; The Turkey-Cock Tail; The Spill-Box; The Four-Pointed Fan; The Duplex Vase; and The Opera Glasses. ITEM 2. THE BEAUTY OF THE FOLD. A Conversation with Joan Sallas. Edited by Charlotte Birnhaum. Sternberg Press. ON THE TABLE SERIES.
ITEM 1. SOLE EDITION. 4to. Inside cover advertisements for Newton & Eskell publications. (1)List of designs. Verso Advert for Alfred Suzanne's Egg Cookery. No title page (not-proven, if one is called for). (1)Napkin Folding. 6-103. Each verso with explanation of Napkin shapes. Opposite page with each Napkin diagram. Last 3 pages + inside cover: Advertisements for Newton & Eskell publications. Covers are very lightly dusted. A very small damp stain to the top of the covers. Very light staining to the last two pages. Back cover advert for 'The Caterer and Hotel-keeper.' Publisher's cloth-backed printed boards. Spine re-backed with dark green cloth spine. Overall a very nice item. ITEM 2. FIRST EDITION. 2012. 183 x 113mm. 2feps (one with publisher's details. Title page. 1p Contents. [1] 7-9 Forward. On the verso; 2 b/w photographs of a huge feature from a 1677 folding manual. 11-27. [1] 2nd Title page. 30-86. The b/w photographs of folding techniques. [1] Verso with Advertisements. 1fep. Hard cardboard cream covers with decoration and text in maroon. Condition as new.
- ITEM 1. Napkin folding is most commonly encountered (but less often nowadays) as an elaborate table decoration in fancy restaurants. Although the modern trend is for clean, unstarched, simply folded white cloths, that have had the minimum of handling, giving a sense of good conscious health and safety awareness. It is now becoming quite rare to see the elaborate folded fantasies of the past. Typically, and for best results, a clean, pressed, well-starched square cloth (linen or cotton) napkin was used. There were many variations in napkin folding in which a rectangular napkin, or a napkin ring, a glass, or even multiple napkins may have been used. The earliest instruction manual for the artistic folding of napkins was published in 1639 by Matthia Gieger, a German meat carver working in Padua. It was part of a series of treatises on the culinary arts titled 'Le Tre Trattati'. Napkin folding has a centuries-old history and dates back to the times of Louis XIV of France (1638 – 1715), also known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (le Roi-Soleil). He was the monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France from 1643 until his death. The shift of the napkin from simply a folded cloth to a folded creative object occurred in 16th century Florence, Italy around the same time as voluminous clothing, such as ballooned sleeves, had become fashionable among the wealthy. Rather than simply laying a tablecloth flat on a table, starched linens were folded into large centre-pieces, called "triumphs," that could depict a variety of real and mythical animals, natural elements and architectural forms. (See item 1098 on this book-site, titled, 'Roger, Earl of Castlemaine's Embassy' by Michael Wright to get a sense of the amazing "triumphs" made from sculpted sugar pastilliage). A popular gift wedding guests received during this time was a personally folded napkin that distinguished whether they were related to the bride or groom. In the mid-18th century, table setting practices were so specific that in Germany there were particular traditions on how to fold napkins, display figures at the table and arrange plate. During this golden age of napkin folding, there was a school in Nuremberg devoted entirely to this art and butlers had shelves of instructional books to keep up with the changes in the field. Napkin folding in the form of table sculptures began being replaced by porcelain decorations during the 18th century. When I was in the Catering school in the early 1960's we students used to enjoy learning new shapes of folded napkin fantasies. Another age another time. ITEM 2. Features German master Joan Sallas, whose folded napkins graced the Metropolitan Museum's exhibit of 1780 Viennese royal table silver. (Watch him fold a ''water lily'' napkin on YouTube.) A virtuoso of the fold, has meticulously researched and mastered the history and techniques of the art of the fold. With the banquet table as a setting, his expertise and philosophy pour forth in the form of splendid, folded linen. In this precious book, Sallas shares his folding wisdom, which editor Charlotte Birnbaum contextualizes in two essays on the history of napkin folding. The texts are accompanied by an illustrated catalogue of folding techniques. A fascinating little book and a good accompaniment

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11293

ANON.
THE Lady's Companion:
VOLUME 1. CONTAINING Upwards of Three Thousand different Receipts: in every Kind of COOKERY: AND Those the best and most fashionable; BEING Four Times the Quantity of any Book of this Sort. 1. Making near two Hundred different Sorts of Soops, Pottages, Broth, Sauces, Cullies, &c. after the French, Italian, Dutch, and English Way; also making Cake Soop for the Pocket. 11. Dressing Flesh, Fish and Fowl; this last Illustrated with Cuts, shewing how every Fowl is to be truss'd. 111. Directions for making Ragoos and Fricaseys. 1V. Directions for Dressing all Manner of Kitchen Garden Stuff, &c. V. Making two Hundred different Sorts of Puddings, Florendines, Tanzeys, &c. which are four Times the Number to be met (2 long perpendicular lines) with any other Book of this Kind. V1. The whole Art of Pastry, in [n aking - sic] upwards of two Hundred Pies, (with the Shapes of them engraven on Copper-Plates) Tarts, Pasties. Custards, Cheese-Cakes, Yorkshire Muffins, &c. V11. Receipts for all Manner of [Pick ing - sic] Potting, collaring, &c. V111. For Preserving, making Creams, Jellies, and all Manner of Confectionary, with particular Receipts for making Orgeat and Blanc Manger. 1X. Rules amd Directions for setting out [D nners, - sic] Suppers, and grand Entertainments. To which is added, Bills of Fare for every Month in the Year. ALSO Directions for Brewing Beers, Ales, &c. making all Sorts of English Wines, Cyder, Mum, Metheglin, Vinegar, Verjuice, Catchup, &c. WITH The receipts of Mrs Stephens for the Stone; Dr. Mead for the Bite of a Mad Dog; the recipe, sent from Ireland, for the Gout; Sir Hans Sloane's Receipt for Sore Eyes; and the receipt for making Tar Water. (1 long horizontal line) The SIXTH EDITION with Large Additions. (1 long horizontal line) VOL.1. (1 long horizontal line) LONDON: Printed for J. HODGES, on London-Bridge; and R. BALDWIN, at the Rose, in Pater-noster Row. 1753. VOLUME 11. is the Fifth Edition. Title page same as previous, except the three typos on the sixth edition are not evident here.
VOLUME 1. 179 x 113mm. 1 new fep. 1 original with inscription - Liz. Booker. Book AD 1757. [1] Frontispiece. Title Page with ink inscription on verso tipped in, with a warning "not to steal this book". (1)2-413. [1] Sixteen pages of Index to the first volume. 1fep. With seven pages of illustrations of trussing. Also nine pages of Bills of Fare. Text block fine. Frontispiece, tittle page somewhat browned and stained with no loss. VOLUME 11. 179 x 115mm. 1 new fep. 1 original fep. Title Page with ink recipe on verso tipped in for 'French Rowles'. (1)2-422. Eight pages of Index to the second volume. 2fep. With eight pages of ornate pie shapes. Text block nice and clean with the title page slightly age browned. Both volumes bound in full dark brown calf with both spines rather sunned. Boards with elaborate blind tooling and edged with thin gilt lines. The spines with raised bands and blind and gilt tooling. With red labels, gilt text and small round breen labels for volume numbers.
- Although the author is unknown and has produced a very large quantity of text, filling two thick volumes, the question arises; why not put a name to what is actually an impressive cookery book.? It is hard to imagine an independent publisher or even a production this size issued by a publishing quango, being profitable. The Title page proclaims boldly, that it is "Four Times the Quantity of any Book of the Sort". With near 200 soups alone, Including The Cook and Housewife's Calendar, or monthly list of things in season from January to December; Proper articles to cover the table every month ; Specimen of a Housekeepers Book with year-end statement; Marketing tables from one penny three farthings to three pence; table of expenses, income and wages from farthings to pounds and back to farthings; The eight pages of plates are impressive, but can also be found (albeit, arranged in a different sequence) in the book of 'Receipts of Pastry and Cookery' of Edward Kidder first published around1720. Whatever the true facts are, it is a very impressive set.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11309

ANON: - A scarce recipe book for use of Isinglass.
PASTRY-COOK AND CONFECTIONER.
FOURTEENTH EDITION. (a small single line) A HANDY GUIDE ON WHAT TO BUY; WITH RECIPES AND HINTS FOR PREPARING ALL KINDS OF PUDDINGS, PIES, JELLIES, ETC., TOGETHER WITH ADVICE AS TO THE DESCRIPTION AND QUALITIES OF ARTICLES TO BE USED. (a small single line) CONTENTS. Preface p3. Jellies and Creams. p5. Pastry p11. Cakes and Biscuits p13. Puddings p18. Preserves p26. Savoury and Aspic Jellies. ALSO a Fifteenth edition. (see the 2nd image below). It has 40p instead of the previous 32p.
Slim 8vo. Circa 1849. 204 x 136mm. The nicely illustrated front cover similar to the text of the title page with the addition of LONDON: PUBLISHED BY G.P. SWINBORNE & CO., 33 & 34, ST. ANDREWS HILL, E.C. 1891. Blue paper with desserts arranged around flower-and-fruit centrepiece on front [1] First page - the verdict of the Judgment [sic] of the Lord Chief Justice on November 16th 1888 found in favour of Swinborne's refined Isinglass. 2nd Page Confirming Swinborne's Patent for Gelatine and Isinglass. Title page. p4. An advertisement for Isinglass. p5. Preface to the fourteenth Edition. 4-32. Inside of back cover; Index. Back cover blank. 2nd ITEM. JCCat records this 15th Edition published in 1892. Other 15th editions were published 1897 and another of 1900. Only the invalid recipes on pages 33-40, written by Lady Constance Eleanora Caroline Howard, are new to this edition and presumably the two that came later. Both items in good condition considering their delicate construction.
- A nice company production from Messrs Swinborne, that produces Isinglass which is a pure form of Gelatine. The best kinds came from Brazil and Russia. Isinglass is a key ingredient in the classic Russian Salmon dish with boiled Eggs, Rice and Mushrooms wrapped in a Croute of Brioche. Once cooked it has Isinglass poured inside the croute. This dish would have been a natural development over time by Russian cooks as the best and most common Isinglass (a form of collagen) was produced from Sturgeon. Nowadays Isinglass is rare and very good Gelatine is widely available made from pigs and cows skin and bones. From the UC.Davis. Robert Mondavi institute for Wine and Science, online, we can find some bibliographical facts about the different editions: 1st edition 1879. BMCat cites "Universal cookery series. No. 1. Pastry-cook and confectioner... A handy guide on what to buy", London: L. Emanuel, 1879, pages 32. This may well be the first edition 7th edition of 1882. G. P. Swinborne and Co's name does not appear in the title of the seventh edition as it does in the title of later editions Another edition 1887. CBCat. cites a 32-page edition published in 1887.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11271

Armstrong. John Daunting expectations but an interesting read.
THE YOUNG WOMAN'S GUIDE.
TO Virtue, Economy, and Happiness; Being an improved and pleasant Directory FOR CULTIVATING THE HEART AND UNDERSTANDING; WITH A COMPLETE AND ELEGANT SYSTEM OF DOMESTIC COOKERY, Formed upon principles of Economy: ALSO, The Art of Carving and Decorating a Table, explained by Engravings. Confectionary in all its Branches. Proper Directions for Marketing, and Bills of Fare for every Day in the Year. (2 perpendicular lines) Best Method of Brewing for large or small Families. Making and managing British Wines. Valuable Medical Directions. A great Variety of useful Family Re-ceipts. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, Instructions to Female Servants in every Situation; APPROVED RULES FOR NURSING AND EDUCATING CHILDREN, AND FOR PROMOTING MATRIMONIAL HAPPINESS; ILLUSTRATED By interesting Tales and Memoirs of celebrated Females; The whole combining all that is essential to the Attainment of EVERY DOMESTIC, ELEGANT, AND INTELLECTUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT. (a small shaped line) BY MR JOHN ARMSTRONG, And Assistants of unquestionable Experience in Medicine, Cookery, Brewing, and all the Branches of Domestic Economy. (a small shaped line) Embellished and illustrated with twelve appropriate Engraving. (a long shaped line) Newcastle upon Tyne, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MACKENZIE AND DENT, ST. NICOLAS CHURCH-YARD.
FIRST EDITION. n/d. Circa 1817. 214 x 138 x 43 mm. 2feps with a manuscript recipe for French Polish tipped in. An Engraved Frontis. An elegant extra engraved title page. [1] The Title Page. [1] A Dedication from the Editor. [1] (1)vi-xii Preface. (1)14 - 684. (1)ii - xii Contents. 1fep. The Frontis and 2 title pages have a 1" stain on the bottom of the page. The rest of the text block very slight age dusted. Bound in full dark brown calf with nice patina. the spine with blind tooling and faded gilt, with dark red label with gilt tooling.
- Nothing can be found pertaining to this thick book and it's author. It seems that Mr John Armstrong is also the editor. The dedication page proclaims itself to be a new, safe and pleasant guide to all young Females. In the preface we are further informed; "that it is no part of the writer's plan to make fine Ladies: but every young woman desirous of learning the proper management of a family; of improving her charms and her understanding; and for preserving the love and esteem of her lover, or her husband, will find in this work an invaluable companion, which will neither flatter nor deceive". Written and produced by a man, this is a frightening checklist that modern women would find disagreeable, combined also with the forcefully stated assumptions that are staggering. Just reading all the tasks and skills assembled on the title page, that the poor lady has to master, is thoroughly daunting. One can further assume that this book was probably used as a weapon more often than not, on husbands dumb enough to hand it to their new unsuspecting brides.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11306

ATHENAEUS.
Banquet des Savans, par Athenee,
Traduit, tant sur les Textes imprimes, que sur plusieurs Manuscrits, Par M. LEFEBVRE DE VILLEBRUNE. ---- Pour nous, qui ne pouvons lus consulter qu'une tres-petite des Auteurs alegues par Athenee, et qui ne tronvons que danas son livre cent particularites curieuses dont il parle, nous regardons sa compilation comme un tresor tres-precieux. BAYLE, Dict. ---- A PARIS, Chez LAMY, Libraire, quai des Augustines, no. 26. DE L'IMPRIMERIE DE MONSIEUR. M.DCC.LXXXIX. AVEC APPROBATION, ET PRIVELEDGE DU ROI. Five Volumes -- Tomes 1-4 dated 1789. Tome 5 dated 1791.
FIRST EDITION. 4to. TOME.1 Frontispiece. Title page. 1-504 [3] TOME.2 Half-title. Title page. 1-537 misprinted as 503 [3] TOME 3. Half-title. Title page. 1-563 [4] TOME 4. Half-title. Title page. 1-561 [4] TOME 5. Half-title. Frontispiece. first title page -- OEUVRES D' ATHENEE ou Le Banquet DES SAVANS. A PARIS, Chez LAMY, Libraire, quai des Augustines, no. 26. M.DCC.XCII. 2nd Title page. with date M.DCC.XCII. The first four title pages have the date - M.DCC.LXXXIX. [i-x] 1-562. All volumes in quarter bottle green calf with green mottled paper boards, calf corners and gilt lines. Spines have raised bands, tome number and gilt lettering. A little wear to the boards, and very clean and crisp internally. Overall a handsome and very scarce set.
- Jean Baptiste Lefebvre de Villebrune's (1732-1809) effort at the first serious translation into French of Athenaeus's Greek classic about eating habits. Athenaeus [fl.3rd century], in particular, presents the Greek and Oriental kitchens in all their aspects, and with his marvelous erudition, proves himself a Burton of Gastronomy- the most accomplished Master of Feasts that antiquity has produced. The book is a symposium held by 21 artists, writers, musicians and surgeons, discussing all things, which according to Greek custom, should adorn a banquet. The names of the most famous gastronomes and of the most celebrated cooks are recorded. The virtues and qualities of wines are the subjects of long discourses. Table ornaments and decoration are also covered -- (Ben Kinmont. Cat.2. 2000.) Kinmont also notes that Lamy published another edition of 4 volumes only, in the same year, but with vingettes. This set, although five instead of four volumes, also has the beautiful vingettes. A very desirable set. A rare recording of gastronomic history.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10943

Atkyns (pseud). Arabella - the very rare 1st edition.
The Family Magazine
Part 1. Containing Useful Directions in All the Branches of HOUSE-KEEPING and COOKERY Particularly Shewing How to Buy-in the Best of all Sorts of provisions; As Poultry-Ware, Butchers-Meat, Fish, Fruit, &c. With several Hundred Receipts in COOKERY, PASTRY, PICKLING, CONFECTIONARY, DISTILLING, BREWING, COSMETICKS, C. (a single line) PART 11. Containing A Compendious BODY of PHYSICK’ TREATING All the Diseases and Accidents INCIDENT TO MEN, WOMEN, and CHILDREN: WITH Practical Rules and Directions for the Preserving and Restoring of Health, and Prolonging Life. (a single line) In a Method intirely New and Intelligent; in which every Disease is rationally and practically considered, in its several Stages and Changes; and approved RECIPE’s inserted under every Distemper, in Alphabetical Order. Being principally the Common-place Book of a late able PHYSICIAN, by which he successfully, for many Years, regulated his Practice. (a single line) With a SUPPLEMENT, containing a great Variety of Experienced Receipts, from Two Excellent FAMILY COLLECTIONS. (a single line) Now First communicated for the Public Benefit. (a single line) To which is Added, As Explanation of such Terms of Art used in the WORK, as could not be so easily reduced to the Understanding of common Readers. ( a double line) LONDON: Printed for J. Osborn,at the Golden-Ball in Paternoster-Row. (a single line) MDCCXLI.
FIRST EDITION 1741. 8vo. 1fep. Title page, with a library stamp of St. Francis Xavier College 1847. New York, N.Y. On verso the same library stamp. iii-xiv The Preface. 2nd Title page to Part 1. [1] (1)2-123. 3p Index to the first Part. Title page to Part 11, with the same library stamp, also on the verso. [1] iii-xiv The Preface. 2nd Title page to Part 11. [1] (1)2-270. 271-315 Supplement. 316-318 Explanation of difficult words, also has the library stamp on p318. (2)321-324 Index. 1fep. There are some illustrations in the text for placing dishes on the table. Sometime rebound by Beranad Middleton in full period style speckled calf, with his signature in pencil on the lower inside back pastedown. The boards bordered with double gilt lines. Spine with raised bands and gilt lines with red label in gilt lettering and lines. Old tape repair to p13-14 of part 11. Skilful paper repair without loss to p303-304, also has the library stamp at the bottom of p304. A little age browning to first and last few leaves, but overall a very good copy.
- Arabella Atkyns was a pseudonym coined by the author who states in the preface “Being still teized [sic] for some Name, I will, tho’ not my right one, subscribe to That of Arabella Atkyns”. Oxford states on p72 that part 11, the medical section is taken from a common-place book of her brother who was a Physician. She also apologises for including treatments for maladies which a lady can hardly be expected to include. Oxford further states that the cookery section is well arranged, but the medical part is full of horrors. The treatment for appendicitis is ‘to apply a live puppy to the naked belly’ and follows up with a cataplasm of rotten apples or of ‘sheeps-dung boil’d with milk’. It is believed that Hannah Glasse borrowed much from this book for her ‘Compleat Confectioner’ circa 1760. MacLean has the 1st and cites a 2nd of 1743, 3rd of 1747, 4th of 1754. Oxford p71. Axford p143. Bitting p550. Craig p478. MacLean p49. Pennell p150.

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