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Kettilby. Mary - A first edition
A Collection of above three hundred receipts in cookery, physick and surgery;
For the Use of all Good Wives, Tender Mothers, and Careful Nurses. By several hands. LONDON, Printed for RICHARD WILKIN, at the King's Head in St. Paul's Church-yard. MDCCXIV.
FIRST EDITION 1714. 8vo. Pp. Half title. Title page. 12. 1-218. [219-232] Full contemporary two-tone dark brown calf boards, lightly cracked with nice polished patina. Sympathetically re-backed dark brown calf spine with raised bands. No labels. Pages evenly browned throughout, with a light mark on the title page where the date was written in biro and the binder has erased the ink. Does not affect the text or border. A small strip 2 inches long by 1/8 inch wide missing from the very last page of index with very slight loss of text. The strip has been neatly repaired. Overall a nice copy of the very rare first.
- In the first half of the 15th century, the English made a spiced jelly called 'Chardequynce' from quinces (or quinces and pears) and honey (or sugar). Then in 1495, only three years after Columbus's first epic voyage to America, a Portuguese ship's captain named Farnando Yanes delivered to the port of London the first consignment of 'Marmelada' to arrive in Britain. The English initially ate it as a sweetmeat or as an after-dinner digestive. It was solid, not semi-liquid, and it came in a box, not a pot. But gradually cooks began to experiment with other fruits, first using apples or at least their inherent pectin to aid the jelling process with other fruits. At this time a modern type marmalade as we know it came about. The first printed recipe for orange marmalade was published in this book, Kettilby's first edition of 1714.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10917

Kidder. Edward - A rare beautiful miniature. Only 5 printed.
E. KIDDER'S RECEIPTS of Pastry and Cookery.
For the Use of his Scholars. Who teaches at his School in St Martins le Grand; On. Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, In the Afternoon, ALSO On Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, In the Afternoon, at his School next to Furnivals Inn in Holburn. Ladies may be taught at their own Houses.
A 1995 reprint in miniature of the 1st edition, 2nd issue of 1721 [see item 10966 below]. Text block - 2 1/4" x 3 3/4" Full brown speckled calf binding, with raised bands on spine with gilt lines and brown label with gilt lettering. Binding measuring 2 1/2" x 4" -- Pp. Engraved portrait frontispiece by Robert Shephard. Title page, 41 leaves with the engraved text on rectos only with versos blank. Last two leaves with 'The Order for Bills of Fare' and the Index. A beautiful and unique miniature edition.
- The portrait of Kidder is 'un-wigged', showing his natural hair. Later editions have Kidder with wig, and also have eight engraved plates. This edition does not have the plates but is complete. This is verified in the joint study published in PPC, Vols #'s 32 & 39 by Peter Targett in UK and Simon Varey in US. Kidder issued the recipes to his students one by one, in line with the daily and weekly lectures. The plates were issued later when he moved his schools to other locations. This is why the pagination of Kidder's books present so many variances. Hence Targett and Varey's welcome and helpful research. A beautiful and desirable item. One of a limited edition of 300. (Actually only 5 have been printed to date (19.3.23) with no plans to produce any more. Making this copy extremely rare.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10918

Dubois. Urbain - An unusual and unique find.
Three Carved Wood Blocks for Plates in both 'Cuisine Artistique' and 'Grand Livre des Patissiers' --
Wood block 1. - Cuisine Artistique 1888. Measuring 6 1/2" x 3 1/2". Dessin 263, plate 45. Gateau Millefeuille sur Grand Socle. Wood blocks 2&3. - Grand Livre des Patissiers et des Confiseurs 1883. one measuring 1 1/2" x 3 1/4". Dessin 228, plate 63. Croustade en Pain et en Riz. # two, measuring 2 3/4" x 1". Dessin 22, plate 19. Petit Pates a la Financiere.
The 3/4" thick wood blocks are finely and precisely carved by W. Guldenstein. Brandeburg Str 55. Berlin. They have the printers details written on the the back of each one, with the planche design and plate designation. The blocks are black with printers ink, but all the very fine details of each carving still clearly visible. The wood block engravings match the book engravings precisely. They are preserved in a custom made clam shell box in half tan calf with tan cloth boards and calf corners. The spine has raised bands with gilt lines. One red label and one green one with gilt lettering. Excellent condition.
- Urbain Dubois had two main passions; cooking and writing. Early in his career he became chef to the Rothschilds, established in a kitchen already famous for its refined style since the time Antonin Careme worked there. The next appointment was at the Cafe Anglais, the famous French restaurant located at the corner of the Boulevard des Italiens and the Rue de Marivaux in Paris. It was there that Dubois served under the famous chef Adolphe Dugléré, and it was at that time the Café Anglais achieved its highest gastronomic reputation. Next he moved to the equally famous Cafe Tortini and the Restaurant Rocher de Cancale. Later he became chef to Prince Alexey Orlov, an ambassador for Nicholas I of Russia. In 1860 in Berlin he became chef to the Prince regent, William of Prussia, who would become king in the following year. He also served at the Court of Wilhelm 1, Emperor of Germany, where he met and had a very unusual working schedule with the chef Emile Bernard. The arrangement had them each being responsible for the cooking on alternate months. This suited Dubois well, it allowed him time for writing. The carved blocks were matched to the exact design on each plate on each relevant book edition . It is amazing, in this age of digital manipulation just how accurate this labor intensive but finely carved blocks are. The results of these engravings on each page are what makes Urbain Dubois' books so beautiful and sought after. They are a gastronomic record of the 'Bel Epoque' period at its grandest, ostentatious and most affluent. The grand 'pieces montees' some reaching 2-3 feet high, made from all the best ingredients of whole game birds, whole fish, meats, pastilliage amply garnished with fruits, chaudfroid, various aspics, topped with Foie Gras, Morels, hatelets of whole Truffles, Cocks combes etc, amaze with their intricacy and fantasy. These blocks give a little indication of the effort, pride and expertise chefs like Urbain Dubois deployed, to raise the 'Grand Buffets' of the time to a level rarely seen now, except in culinary competitions. A very rare item.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10919

W. M. - The great 17th century Royal classic.
The Queens Closet OPENED.
BEING Incomparable Secrets in Physick, Chyrurgery, Preserving, and Candying, &c. Which were presented to the QUEEN By the most experienc'd Persons of the times, many whereof were had in Esteem when she pleased to descend to private Recreations. The Tenth Edition, Corrected, with many new and large additions; together with Three exact Tables. Vivit post Funera Virtus. LONDON, Printed for E.Blagrave, and are to be sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1696. Bound with -- A QUEENS Delight:-- OR, The Art of Preserving, Conserving, and Candying. As also, A right Knowledge of making Perfumes, and Distilling the most excellent Waters. LONDON Printed in the Year 1696. Bound with -- The Compleat COOK:-- Expertly Prescribing The most ready Ways, whether Italian, Spanish or French, FOR Dressing of Flesh and Fish, Ordering of Sauces, Or making of PASTRY. LONDON. Printed in the Year 1695.
12mo. 2feps.[1] Frontispiece of Henrietta Maria. Title Page.[1] 2p Preface. 4p Approvers Names. 1-163. 5p 'The Table' - THE 2ND PART; Title Page 'A Queens Delight'.[1] 171-264. 4p The Table. - THE 3RD PART; Title Page 'The Complete Cook'.[1] 271-401. 8p The Table.[1] 2feps. Fully Bound in contemporary dark brown calf with original boards and gilt tooled borders. Re-backed spine with gilt tooling, raised bands, and a red label with gilt lettering. Very clean internally, with minimal ageing to pages. Considering it is over 300 years old, a very scarce item in this fine condition.
- Henrietta Maria, Born 25 November 1609, was Princess of France and Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (13 June 1625 – 30 January 1649) through her marriage to Charles I. She was the mother of two kings, Charles II and James II, and was grandmother to Mary II, William III, and Queen Anne. The often hated catholic wife of King Charles 1 was well acquainted with a number of natural philosophers/scientists, including John Evelyn, Kenelm Digby, the physician Theodore Turquet de Mayerne, the mathematician John Pell and the apothecary John Parkinson. Drawing together the work of these men and other members of the queen’s household, Henrietta Maria’s name is associated with one of the most successful publications of the seventeenth century: ‘The Queens Closet Opened,’ first published in 1655. With various corrections and additions, it went into at least eighteen editions in the seventeenth century alone, and was further reprinted in the 18th century. It was in three parts, ‘The Pearl of Practise’ (remedies), ‘A Queens Delight’ (confectionery), and ‘The Compleat Cook’ (cookery). In the Preface, the presenter, W. M., informed the public that these were Henrietta Maria’s own receipts: Who is W.M.? In her fascinating article online, Jane Archer, of the University of Warwick, puts forward some compelling facts to support the theory that,----- ‘W. M.’ would have been instantly identifiable as Walter Montagu[e] (c.1603-1677), perhaps the closest and most loyal of Henrietta Maria’s ‘late servants’. A Catholic, an exile, a published author, a loyal servant who ‘fell with the Court’, and a secretary ---‘ Jane archer elaborates ‘---The precise facts of Montagu’s life are sketchy, but it is clear that he served Henrietta Maria as secretary and spy, a keeper and discoverer of secrets. The second son of the Earl of Manchester and a protégé of the Duke of Buckingham, Montagu first met Henrietta Maria in 1624, when he was sent on a secret mission to France to prepare the way for marriage negotiations. Following Buckingham’s assassination in 1628, Montagu established himself as a leading member of the Queen’s court at Denmark House. During the 1630s, he influenced the religious, political, cultural and philosophical life of Henrietta Maria’s household. Following his conversion to Catholicism in 1635, Montagu encouraged the Queen to take a more active role in propagating the Catholic faith in England ----‘ (because of this pushing of the Catholic faith, she become a hated figure, and her portrait as frontispiece to the ‘Closet Opened’ was often torn out. This is why many copies now lack the unique engraving) -----‘Montagu spent these years supervising the publication of his writings (some of which had previously circulated in manuscripts) in England. A brief scan of the dates of Montagu’s publications (1648, 1649, 1656 and 1660) reveals that he was in close and frequent contact with London publishers during the period when The Queens Closet Opened was first published.’ Archer further states ---‘ Indeed, if Montagu can be identified with ‘W. M.’, then it is tempting to interpret the publication of The Queens Closet Opened as a continuation of his work as loyal secretary to Henrietta Maria. An important aspect of the work of a secretary. ----‘ Due to failing health Henrietta Maria returned to her native France on the 24th June 1665, and lived the remainder of her life there. She died on 9th September 1669 at Colombes, near Paris. She was buried in St. Denis with the exception of her heart which was separately interred at Chaillot in a silver casket bearing the inscription; “Henrietta Maria, Queen of England, France, Scotland and Ireland, daughter of the King of France Henry IV the Victorious, wife of Charles I the Martyr and mother of the restored Charles II”. By any standards; a unique life and a unique book.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10920

Hartman. George - Sir Kenelm Digby's former Steward.
The True Preserver Of Health
BEING A CHOICE COLLECTION OF Select and Experienced REMEDIES for all Distempers incident to Men, Women, and Children. Selected from, and Experienced by the most Faamous Physicians and Chyrurgions of Europe. TOGETHER WITH Excellent DIRECTIONS for COOKERY; AS ALSO FOR PRESERVING, and CONSERVING, and making all sorts of METHEGLIN, SIDER, CHERRY-WINE, &c. WITH THE Description of an Ingenious and Useful ENGIN for Dressing of Meat, and for Distilling the Choicest Cordial Waters without Wood, Coals, Candle, or Oyl. THE SECOND EDITION WITH ADDITIONS. Published for the Publick-Good by G. Hartman, Chymist. London: Printed for A. and F. Churchill, at the Black-Swan in Pater-Noster-Row. 1695.- Bound With: EXCELLENT DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY; TOGETHER WITH The Description of an Useful ENGIN serving for the fame; and likewise for Distilling the Choicest and Best Cordial Waters AS ALSO SELECT RECEIPTS FOR PRESERVING, CONSERVING, and CANDYING,&c. WITH A COLLECTION Of the Choicest Receipts for making of METHEGLIN, SIDER, CHERRY-WINE,&c. THE SECOND PART. LONDON, Printed by T.B. for G. Hartman Chymist. 1682.
FIRST EDITION. 12mo. Pp. Title Page. 6pp Epistle. 7pp Index. (1-352) Fully Bound in dark brown calf with original boards and blind tooled borders. Original Spine with raised bands and red label with gilt lettering.-2ND PART; Pp. Title Page. (3-80) Engraved picture of 'Distillery Engine' 32 pp 'Select Receipts' Internally very clean with minimal aging to pages, with some pages a little more brown due to paper quality. Title page has a small brown stain that does not affect overall. An extremely scarce book.
- George Hartman was the steward and assistant to Sir Kenelme Digby. He published in 1669, from a compilation of Digby's notes, 'The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby KT. Opened' One of the most important cookery books of the seventeenth century and considered an excellent source of period recipes, particularly for beverages such as mead. Sir Kenelme Digby died on June 11, 1665. Hartman then published the first edition of this work 'The True Preserver' in 1682.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10921

Venner. Tho.
VIA RECTA AD Vitam Longam.
OR, A Treatise wherein the right way and best manner of living for attaining to a long and healfull life, is clearly demonstrated and punctually applied to every age and constitution of body. Much nore enlarged than the former Impressions. By THO. VENNER Doctor of Physick in Bathe. Whereunto is annexed by the fame Author, A very necessary, and compendius Treatise of the famous Baths of BATHE. WITH A Censure of the Medicinall faculties of the Water of St. Vincents- Rocks neer the City of Bristoll. As also An accurate Treatise concerning TOBACCO. All which are likewise amplified since the former Impressions. LONDON. Printed by James Flesher, for Henry Hood, and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet Street. 1650. With a second part -- THE BATHS OF BATHE OR A necessary compendious Treatise concerning the Nature, Use, and Efficacy of those famous Hot-Waters. Published for the benefit of all such as yearely, for their health, resort to those Baths. With an Advertisement of the great utility that cometh to mans body, by the taking of Physick in the Spring, inferred upon a Question moved, concerning the frequency of sickness, and death of people more in that season, than in any other. Whereunto is also annexed a Censure concerning the Water of Saint Vincents rocks near Bristoll, which is in great request and use against the Stone. By To. Venner Doctor of Physick in Bathe. LONDON. Printed by James Flesher for Henry Hood, and are to be sold at his shop in Saint Dunstans Churchyard in Fleetstreet, 1650. With a third part -- A Briefe and Accurate TREATISE CONCERNING The taking of the Fume of TOBACCO, Which very many, in these dayes, doe too too licencously use. In which the immoderate, irregular, and unreasonable use therof is reprehended, and the true nature and best manner of using it, perspicuously demonstrated. By TO. VENNER Doctor of Physick in Bathe. LONDON, Printed by James Flesher for Henry Hood, and are to be sold at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet Street, 1650
4to. Pp. Title Page. 2pp Preface. 6pp 'The Table' (1-342) There is a mis-pagination of 10 pages. It jumps from page 331 to 342 without loss of text. - THE 2nd PART; Pp. Title page. (345-393) There is a mis-pagination of 9 pages. It jumps from page 382 to 391 without loss of text - THE 3rd PART; Pp. Title Page. (397-417). Fully bound in contemporary brown calf with original boards and blind tooled borders. Original spine with blind tooling, a red label with gilt lettering and lines. The board on one side has split by the spine but still holding strongly due to re-inforced guttering on inside cover. A clean copy with minimal staining. Overall paper quality browned with age, particularly the title page. A scarce item.
- One of the most popular books on regimen of the period, with much information on diet and nutrition. Venner (1577-1660) Physician and writer. Graduated from Oxford in 1599 with a BA, and started as a medical practitioner and later was made a proper MD. He had a practice in Peterton, Bridgewater and Bath. He advocated moderation in smoking, but tears down some of the contemporary superstitions on the evil of the habit. Also, his writings did much to popularize the therapeutic waters of Bath. He was the first to use the word 'obesity' to describe people who are very overweight. In the bibliography ‘Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine’ by William Carew Hazlitt, he brings our attention to Venner’s wide-ranging advice on various meats. “ He was evidently a very intelligent person, and affords us the result of his professional experience and personal observation. He considered two meals a day sufficient for all ordinary people; breakfast at eleven and supper at six (as at the universities); but he thought that children and the aged or infirm could not be tied by any rule. He condemns "bull's beef" as rank, unpleasant, and indigestible, and holds it best for the labourer; which seems to indicate more than anything else the low state of knowledge in the grazier, when Venner wrote: but there is something beyond friendly counsel where our author dissuades the poor from eating partridges, because they are calculated to promote asthma. "Wherefore," he ingenuously says, "when they shall chance to meet with a covey of young partridges, they were much better to bestow them upon such, for whom they are convenient!" Salmon, turbot, and sturgeon he also advises, is hard of digestion, and injurious, if taken to excess; nor does he approve of herrings and sprats; and anchovies he characterises as the meat of drunkards. It is the first that we have heard of them. He was not a bad judge of what was palatable, and prescribes as an agreeable and wholesome meal a couple of poached eggs with a little salt and vinegar, and a few corns of pepper, some bread and butter, and a draught of pure claret. He gives a receipt, possibly the earliest seen in print, for making metheglin or hydromel. He does not object to furmety or junket, or to custards, if they are eaten in the proper seasons, and in the middle or at the end of meals. But he dislikes mushrooms, and advises you to wash out your mouth, and rub your teeth and gums with a dry cloth, after drinking milk. The potato, however, he praises as nutritious and pleasant to the taste, yet, as Gerarde the herbalist also says, flatulent. Venner refers to a mode of sopping them in wine as existing in his time. They were sometimes roasted in the embers, and there were other ways of dressing them. John Forster, of Hanlop, in Bucks, wrote a pamphlet in 1664 to show that the more extended cultivation of this root would be a great national benefit.” - How true! But one wonders just how vocal he would be today when he sees obese children eating daily, large quantities of fried potato chips, loaded with over-used toxic frying oil.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10922

Markham. Gervase
The English Hous-Wife
CONTAINING The inward and outward Vertues which ought to be in a compleat Woman: As her skill in Physick, Surgery, Cookery, Extraction of Oyles, Banqueting stussc, Ordering of great Feasts, Preserving of all forts of Wines, conceited Secrets, Distillations, Perfumes, ordering of Wool, Hemp, Flax: making Cloth and Dying, the knowledge of Dayries: Office of Malting: of Oates, their excellent uses in a family: of Brewing, Baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. A Work generally approved, and now the sixth time much augmented, purged, and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the general good of this NATION. By G.M. LONDON, Printed by W.Wilson, for E.Brewster, and George Sawbridge, at the Bible on Ludgate-hill, neere Fleet bridge. 1656.
4to. 1fep. Title Page. [1] 2pp Epistle. 4pp The Table. 1-188. 1fep. On p119 illustrations of wine gages. Bound in dark brown modern half calf with marble boards and calf corners and gilt lines. Spine with raised bands, red label with gilt lettering and lines. Clean internally with very age browning. A handsome copy of a scarce book.
- Gervase Markham or 'Jervis', born 1568. English poet and miscellaneous writer, third son of Sir Robert Markham of Cotham, Nottinghamshire. He was a soldier of fortune in the Low Countries, and later was a captain under the Earl of Essex's command in Ireland . He was acquainted with Latin and several modern languages, and had an exhaustive practical acquaintance with the arts of forestry and agriculture . He was a noted horse-breeder, and is said to have imported the first Arab horse into England., otherwise very little is known of the events of his life . The story of the murderous quarrel between Gervase Markham and Sir John Holies related in the Biographia Britannica (s.v . Holies) has been generally connected with him, but in the Dictionary of National Biography, Sir Clements R . Markham, a descendant from the same family, refers it to another contemporary of the same name, whose monument is still to be seen in Laneham church . Gervase Markham was buried at St Giles's, Cripplegate, London, on the 3rd of February 1637 . He was a voluminous writer on many subjects, but he repeated himself considerably in his works, sometimes reprinting the same books under other titles . His booksellers procured a declaration from him in 1617 that he would produce no more on certain topics . Markham's writings include: The Teares of the Beloved (1600) and Marie Magdalene's Teares (1601) long and rather commonplace poems on the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. His best known book is 'A Way to get Wealth' which contains 'The English House-wife'. It is printed as '2 book' at the top of each page, indicating it is the second-book of Markam's 'Country Contentments' 1st edition - 1615. It was later published as 'A Way to get Wealth' with the 'English Hous-wife' being published as the third book.. It ran to many editions and Oxfords cites - 1623(2nd). (no 3rd). 1631(4th). 1637(5th). 1648. 1649. This copy of 1656(6th). 1660(7th). 1664. 1668(8th). 1675. 1683(9). An edition of 1653 was reprinted in 1907. Never the less, and despite so many editions, it is still a very scarce book and is usually found and sold on its own. It is as an important seventeenth century cookery book and a very interesting item that Oxford rates as having more modern recipes than those of preceding books, albeit with many obsolete dishes. He also rates the medical recipes and finds them disgusting and appalling, with the use of animal dung and other filthy ingredients being frequently used. Surprisingly the first recipe for Haggis is found in the 1615 edition (and subsequent editions) of Markham's 'English Hus-wife' in chapter 8 about the benefits of Oates. NB: I just received an interesting and welcome email from Regula Ysewijn, a food photographer, informing me that Haggis did not appear first in the English Hous-wife as I have mistakenly stated above, but in a cookery book called ‘Liber Cure Cocorum’, from the County of Lancashire in England. Written in verse and dating from around 1430. Called ‘Hagese’ in the book, the general recipe mirrors the one made in Scotland. As I was born in Scotland, it is a big surprise to find that it now appears our celebrated national pudding possibly originated in England. I am now going to see if I can take this very surprising news further. My research must now try to answer the following …. Did the Lancashire recipe originate in Lancashire or any other English location, or did it originate in Scotland and was brought to England. Lets see…. NB: There is an interesting site online called the 'Medievalists.net. There, there is further information about Liber Cure Cocurum to be seen.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10923

Woolley. Hannah
The Accomplish'd LADIES DELIGHT
IN Preserving, Physick, Beautifying, and Cookery. CONTAINING 1. The ART of PRESERVING, and CANDYING Fruits and Flowers, and the making of all sorts of Conserves, Syrups, and Jellies. 11. The PHYSICAL CABINET, Or Excellent Receipts in Physick and Chirurgery, Together with some Rare Beautifying Waters, to adorn and add loveliness to the Face and Body: And also some New and Excellent Secrets and Experiments in the ART of ANGLING. 111. The Compleat COOKS GUIDE, Or, directions for dressing all sorts of Flesh, Fowl and Fish, both in the English and French Mode, with all Sauces and Sallets; and the making Pyes, Pasties, Tarts, and Custards, with the Forms and Shapes of many of them. The Fifth Edition Enlarged. LONDON, Printed for Benjamin Harris, at the Stationers Arms and Anchor, in the Piazza, at the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1685.
12mo. 2 modern fep [1]. Engraved frontispiece of the author and engraved Title-page of four household scenes. [1] 2nd Title page. 2 pages of Epistle Directory signed T.P. PART 1- The Art of Preserving 1-65. PART 2- Excellent Receipts in Physick and Chirurgery 66-105 with Frontispiece illustration of couple fishing (page 106). The Art of Angling. 107-126 with 1p illustration of fish, pages 115 & [1]. PART 3- The Complete Cooks Guide 127-196 with 2 pages of illustrations of Pye shapes. p197 - 199 Terms of Carving. p200 - 204 Bills of Fare. (1) To the Reader, signed BH. p206 - 208 A Great Feast, 12p of 'The Table'. 2 modern fep. Half tan calf with marbled boards and tan calf corners, Spine with gilt lines and 2 red labels with gilt lettering . The frontis, engraved title page and 2nd title page and 4 pages internally with expert repairs to the page edges. A very good copy with minimal aging.
- There are doubts as to whether this really is the work of Hannah Wolley. [See PPC #9 pp.66. Uta Schumacher-Voelker casts serious doubt on the authorship of this book and furthermore, presents some compelling points of research, that at least highlight the ambiguity, but unfortunately do not prove conclusively the case, for or against]. From the library of Edward Gordon Craig we also learn that it is probably an unauthorised work based on Woolley's text. Certainly the ambiguous fact of two different initials in the same book, of one T.P. at the end of the Epistle Directory and the initials of B.H. on the un-numbered page next to p204 further hightens the confusion. It has been listed here under Wolley, as that is the name on one of the labels. If an answer is ever found and whatever it may be, it is none the less a rare book.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10924

Napier. Alexander
A Noble Boke Off Cookry
FFOR A PRYNCE HOUSSOLDE OR ENY OTHER ESTATELY HOUSSOLDE. REPRINTED VERBATIM FROM A RARE MS. IN THE HOLKHAM COLLECTION EDITED BY MRS. ALEXANDER NAPIER. LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 1882.
4to. Half title. Title Page. (v-xiii) (1-136) 3fep. Nicely bound in half tan calf with marbled boards. Plain spine with red label with gilt lines and lettering. Excellent condition externally and internally with minimal staining. Printed on large paper with wide margins and uncut edges. There is a very light round red library stamp (about the size of a 5p piece) on the Title page, but not affecting the text.
- This very nice book is transcribed from a manuscript in the Holkham Collection and is dated; circa 1467. Those recipes, in turn, closely resemble recipes in another famous cookery manuscript called the 'Forme of Cury' compiled about 1390. There is also on p.3. a printing of an aquatint engraving of the 'Peacock Feast' On Nov. 8th 1791, a bookseller was sued by the engraver of the 'Peacock Feast' for pirating the plate without permission. That aquatint plate was used to embellish a book called 'Antiquitates Culinaria' also about very old cookery manuscripts recording ancient Kingly Feasts. The original etching was done from a representation of a Saxon Feast on an ancient brass in St Margaret's Church, King's Lyn. It is also nice to find it as a head-piece, on p3. of this copy. On p.134, this book has an interesting glossary of obsolete medieval culinary words to be found in the 'Noble Boke of Cookery. A fascinating glimpse of English gastronomic history.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10925

Woolley. Hannah
The Queen-like Closet
OR RICH CABINET Stored with all manner of RARE RECEIPTS FOR Preserving, Candying and Cookery. Very Pleasant and Benicial to all Ingenious Persons of the FEMALE SEX. To which is added, A SUPPLEMENT, PRESENTED To all Ingenious LADIES, and GENTLEMEN. By Hannah Wolley. The Third EDITION. LONDON, Printed for Richard Lowndes at the White Lion in Duck-Lane, near West-Smithfield, 1675. -- TITLE PAGE to the SUPPLEMENT: A SUPPLEMENT TO THE QUEEN-LIKE CLOSET; OR A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING. PRESENTED To all Ingenious Ladies, and Gentlemen. By HANNAH WOOLLEY. LONDON, Printed by T.R. for Richard Lowndes, and to be Sold at the Sign of the White Lion in Duck-Lane, 1674.
12mo. 1pp. - Licensed, Nov 16, 1669. Roger L' Estrange. Frontispiece of five Kitchen Scenes. Title page. [6] 1-344. 22pp. Contents of 1st and 2nd parts. 2pp.-postscript. 2pp.-Advertisements. THE SECOND PART: Pp. Title page. [8] 4pp.-The Table. 2pp.-Advertisement. 1-100. Original dark brown calf boards with gilt border and nice patina. Sympathetically re-laid spine with gilt lines and title in gilt. A very good clean copy with minimal aging. A light stain to the edge of pages 95-122. A rare item.
- Curiously the author's name is spelt with one 'O' in the title page and two 'O's in the supplement. Hannah Woolley was a prolific writer and the list of four books attributed to her are: 'The Ladies Directory' - 1st edition 1661. 'The Cooks Guide' - 1st edition 1664. 'The Queen-like Closet' - 1st edition 1670, with at least two editions of a German translation published as 'Frauenzimmers Zeitvertreib'. 'The Ladies Delight or Rich Closet' - 1672 (essentially the first two of the books in this list, put together). The supplement to this book 'The Queen-like Closet' was Woolley's last published work. An unauthorised compilation of her texts was published in 1673, called 'The Gentlewomans Companion'. Similar unauthorized works based on her texts followed -'The Accomplished Ladies Delight' 1675, and in 1677 - 'The Compleat Servant-Maid'. Like her authentic works, these were reprinted frequently. All copies, whether legitimate or not are quite rare.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10926