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Escoffier. Georges Auguste - A pertinant signed handwritten letter
A letter to P. Andrieu, signed by Escoffier.
A two page letter written at his retirement home in Monte-Carlo, 20 November, 1934
Addressed to Monsieur P(ierre) Andrieu, --- Paris. The two pages are covered in Escoffier's handwriting. There is also a one page English translation of the letter. A very clean item. Enclosed in a neat marbled cardboard folder. With a label on the front cover. The letter is from the library of Pierre Orsi, the famous Lyon restuaranteur. A rare item.
- The letter is written one year before Escoffier's death. He writes in a rather shaky hand -- [Dear Sir, I am very surprised that you did not receive my letter which was in answer to yours, whereby you were asking me to write an article for the newspaper "L'action automobile". This article should have been about regional cuisine as seen from the point of view of the chef - Curnonsky treats it from the point of view of the gastronome. Between the chef and Curnonsky there is a wide gap that I do not wish to bridge. Mr Curnonsky speaks as a writer, he is charming and his articles are interesting in places but I have no desire to be the cause of any arguments. To answer your question, I could only do it after reading the article "les princes de la cuisine francaise". Despite all my desire to be agreeable to you and Mr Roussel, it will be impossible for me to do it. I must also tell you that the different regional cuisines do not exist anymore. Ever since all the "regions" have been merged by the advance of the automobile which created easier access from one country to another, we have now in France only one cuisine and that is French Cuisine. -- With deepest regret for not acceding to your wishes, Yours sincerely, A. Escoffier. -- My best wishes to Mr Roussel.] Pierre Andrieu was an author of many articles and books in the domain of wine and gastronomy. He was also a collaborator of Curnonsky's. Together they published in 1935 a book about the restaurants of France, titled 'Les Fines Gueules de France'. This letter pertains to the research for that book. Maurice Edmond Sailland (October 12, 1872, Angers, France – July 22, 1956, Paris), better known by his pen-name Curnonsky and dubbed the Prince of Gastronomy, was the most celebrated writer on gastronomy in France in the 20th century. He wrote or ghost-wrote over 65 books and enormous numbers of newspaper columns. He is often considered the inventor of gastronomic motor-tourism as popularized by Michelin, though he himself could not drive. The contents of the letter display an ironic point of interest. Escoffier, one year before his death is offering a glimpse of the changes he is seeing to his beloved French cuisine. Having re-organised, during his life time, the French kitchen so fundamentally from that of the Bel-Epoque era he is still only really interested in viewing the changes from the chef's point of view. It is obvious that even at the grand old age of eighty eight, he is still active and well informed.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10989

Soyer. Alexis Benoit Very rare.
A Handwritten Letter signed by Soyer.
Headed Reform Club. Wed 4th. 1949. With a small cut-out of Soyer's portrait tipped in. The letter states -- Dr Sir In accordance with your wishes I beg to enclose the [??] taken from my Gastronomic Regenerator. Yours Sincerely A. Soyer.
The letter is one sheet of paper folded in half. The beautiful cursive script (not in Soyer's hand but probably by one of his secretaries, although signed by Soyer) is on the outside fold and on the inside is a tipped-in clip from a newspaper describing an illustrious dinner provided by Soyer for five or six hundred guests at the Chancellor-House, Hammersmith. (It provides a very flattering account of some grand dishes served. Knowing Soyer's famous penchant for self-promotion, there is a good possibility the newspaper article was attached by Soyer himself.) The letter is housed in a neat marbled, cardboard folder with a handwritten label on the front cover. A very rare item
- Alexis Soyer 1810 - 1858. The great chef of the Reform Club, Pall Mall, London. Author of eight major books on Cookery and Gastronomy, an inventor, especially of the magic and field stoves, a manufacturer of his range of sauces and relishes, and unceasing self-publicist. He led an extremely productive professional life and was famous for his newly designed Kitchens at the Reform Club, also noted for his work in the Crimea in the hospitals at Scutari and his soup kitchens in Ireland during the great famine. Refusing the urgings of his friends to rest, it was small wonder when he died burnt out at the age of 48. Despite what should have been a lucrative arrangement with Messrs Crosse and Blackwell, he left only £1500 at his death. A rum distiller called David Hart succeeded in taking all the cash and Soyer's personal papers in lieu of an unpaid debt. He destroyed all the papers and notes. Because of that short-sighted and selfish action, any signed or manuscript notes in Soyer's hand are exremely rare.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10990

Soyer. Alexis Benoit - A rare item of ephemera
An invitation card to the Dublin Soup Kitchen, signed by Soyer.
The cardboard invitation measures approx. 2"x3" It states: Soyer's Model Kitchen. For the Poor. Royal Barracks Esplanade. Admit (in manuscript [??] Jones) & Family. to the opening on Monday 5th April 1847. at half past 2 oClock. Within a simple decorated line border. Soyer's signature in blue ink at the bottom right hand corner.
Also enclosed are a two interesting articles copied from Irish newspapers, reporting on Soyers soup kitchens. Housed in a neat cardboard, marbled folder with a label on the front cover. An extremely rare item of Soyer ephemera.
- George Augustus Sala, on meeting Soyer in the Hungerford Market recalls, -- He wore a kind of paletôt of light camlet cloth, with voluminous lapels and deep cuffs of lavender watered silk; very baggy trousers, with lavender stripes down the seams; very shiny boots and quite as glossy a hat; his attire being completed by tightly-fitting gloves, of the hue known in Paris as 'beurre frais' — that is to say, light yellow. All this you may think was odd enough; but an extraordinary oddity was added to his appearance by the circumstance that every article of his attire, save, I suppose, his gloves and boots, was cut on what dressmakers call a "bias," or as he himself, when I came to know him well, used to designate as "à la zoug-zoug". He must have been the terror of his tailor, his hatter, and his maker of cravats and under-linen; since he had, to all appearance, an unconquerable aversion from any garment which, when displayed on the human figure, exhibited either horizontal or perpendicular lines. His very visiting-cards, his cigar-case, and the handle of his cane took slightly oblique inclinations. This explains precisely why this invitation card on offer here is such an odd shape; it is "à la zoug-zoug". After the Soup Kitchen Act was introduced on January 25th 1847, Soyer was invited by the Government and funded by private subscriptions, to go to Ireland during the winter of 1847 while the Great Famine was raging. The Soup Kitchen was set up on the banks of the Liffey in front of the Royal Barracks, Dublin. The wooden dining room was forty foot long by thirty feet wide. Soyer's soup was cooked and served from a 300 gallon boiler that looked like a traditional steam engine. It also had an oven at the end to bake one hundred-weight of bread at a time. The soup bowls were stuck to the table and the spoons were chained to the bowls. One hundred ate their soup with relish (according to the newspapers) then left when a bell rang, followed by another hundred who came in for their soup and piece of bread. The food was also conveyed by vehicles to distant outlying areas, for infants, the sick and the aged. Newspapers report that on the day of opening the Kitchens to the poor, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and other notables were invited to view the Kitchens and Dining room. This invitation card is for one of those guests on that occasion. This Gala opening also caused some outrage in some newspapers, due to the undignified way the poor had to eat the soup in front of the privileged Guests. Never the less Soyer's kitchen was successful and his services were retained by the Relief Commissioners. In the midst of much publicity, Soyer opened a number of 'model' Kitchens in Dublin. Under the Act, soup kitchens were to be established in each of the electoral divisions. By July 1847, 1,850 Soup kitchens were in operation feeding over 3 million people throughout Ireland. Soyer, long gone by this time, received a beautiful snuff box amid great fanfare before his departure.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10991

Escoffier. Georges Auguste - Two of Escoffier's menus
From the Carlton Hotel. Pall Mall. London.
Menu 1 -- from the Carlton Grill Room dated May 11th 1909. Menu 2 -- a daily 'Carte du Jour' dated May 10th 1909.
Both menus as new. The ala carte menu has a 1" tear in the fold with no damage to text. Housed in a cardboard, marbled folder with a label on the front cover. Also comes with a black and white photograph of the Carlton Hotel - circa 1910.
- Escoffier was Maitre Chef de Cuisine at the Carlton Hotel from 1899- 1919. These are two of his menus. As such, and in this fine condition, very rare.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10992

Escoffier. Georges Auguste - One of Escoffier's menus
A menu and a table plan. Carlton Hotel. Pall Mall. London.
1.-- A Dinner Plan of Tables. Thursday. July 21st 1910. 2.-- Special Dinner Menu. Monday. September 16th. 1918.
1. -- This card is decorated by a double gilt border, front and back. On the front is an emblem of the American flag and the Union Jack. It is a four page ‘Plan of Tables’ for a Dinner in honour of General Stuart L. Wilson at the Carlton Hotel, Thursday, July 21st 1910. Seated at the ‘Red Table’ is Lieut. Sir Ernst H. Shackleton who was to set out 4 years later on ‘Endurance’ for his ill-fated attempt to reach Antarctica. It has taped marks on the back, indicating it has been sometime mounted in a book. 2. -- The menu is for a special Dinner at the Carlton Hotel on Monday 16th September 1918. Hosted by the Hon. A.J. Balfour MP for His Excellency Monsieur Michalacopoulos. The menu has an embossed gilt crest of the Royal Coat of Arms. Mons. Andre Michalacopoulos was the President for the Counsel of Ministers and Minister for Greek Affairs and A.J. Balfour was British Prime Minister from 1902 – 1905. It is a nice clean menu card with a 2 page insert tied by a ribbon. Both are housed in a nice cardboard, marbled folder with a label on the front cover. Rare Escoffier ephemera items.
- Escoffier was Maitre Chef de Cuisine at the Carlton Hotel from 1899-1919. These two items are his, from the Carlton Hotel kitchen banqueting department.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10993

Royal Menus.
Four Royal Menus from various Royal Palaces.
1 -- Two from Windsor Castle. 23rd January and 20th June. 1908. 2 -- One from Buckingham Palace. Friday. November 26th 1982. 3 -- One from Barmoral Castle. 1st September. 1912.
1 -- Two clean but slightly age browned (one a little more than the other) menu cards, edged in gilt with the crest of Edward VII. One is printed and the other is in very small neat hand writing, both in French. 2 -- Very clean menu card, edged in gilt with the crest of Queen Elizabeth. A simple menu printed in French. 3 -- Clean but slightly age browned menu card, edged in gilt with the crest of George V. A simple menu written by hand in light blue ink, and in French. All housed in a cardboard, marbled folder with a label on the front cover.
- Looking at these menus, one is immediately struck by; A - The are all written in French including the dates. B - They are all in the same format and size. Considering they span nearly 80 years, it is amazing. This gives a singular impression that things do not change in the Royal Households. Still keeping a tradition of writing their daily menus in French and not English, especially since modern British cookery has developed its own repertoire to such a high level and British chefs now compare with the best France has to offer. Quite rare and interesting items of Royal ephemera spanning two Royal Castles, a Palace and three Monarchs.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10994

David. Elizabeth - Inscribed by E.D. and with a Xmas card from her publisher.
A Book of Mediterranean Food.
A Book of Mediterranean FOOD By Elizabeth David. Decorated by John Minton. John Lehman Ltd. London.
FIRST EDITION.1950. With nice clean John Minton designed d/j with small chip at top and bottom of spine. With inscription on fep in E.D's own distinctive handwriting -- "With the very best wishes for E.P. Warner June 1950". Half Title. Frontispiece and Title page. Introduction pp.v-viii. Acknowledgments pp.ix-x. 2pp Contents. 2pp. Soup.[15-181] (1) Index. pp.183-191. 1fep. With John Minton illustrations through out. Also enclosed is a Xmas Card designed by John Minton. The message reads "A Happy Christmas from John Lehman" It has been signed in blue ink by Lehman "To Elizabeth 1951"
- John Lehman was the entrepreneurial publisher of the adventurous and prestigious Penguin New Writing. He was unsure of E.D's original messy manuscript declaring it the untidiest he had ever received. In spite of his original misgivings he eventually became thrilled with the work and paid her an advance of £100.oo: £50.oo on signature of the contract and £50.oo on publication. No one at that time could possibly envisage the massive influence she would exert on a generation of food enthusiasts, cooks and chefs and the admiration and love in which she and her precise, captivating and eloquent writing would be regarded. This is a fine and very unique copy of E.D's first book. As she was not so well known at this time, copies of the first edition of 'Mediterranean Food' with inscriptions are very rare.

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Modern category

ref number: 10995

David. Elizabeth - With a rare E.D. booklet on wine.
French Country Cooking.
French Country Cooking by Elizabeth David decorated by John Minton. HORIZON PRESS. New York.
FIRST EDITION. 1951. With clean slightly browned d/j. Frontispiece, title page, d/j and illustrations by John Minton. 1fep. 2p A Word from the Publisher to the Reader. 2p Acknowledgments. vii-x -Introduction. 2p Contents. 1p Batterie de Cuisine. [15-237](1) Index. 239-247. 1fep. Also enclosed is a booklet written by E.D. "The Use of Wine in Fine Cooking" (This booklet is designed by Saccone & Speed Ltd) The booklet is mentioned in the Acknowledgments and printed in full in the book. A very clean and unique copy, especially with the very rare E.D. booklet.
- As well as the famous John Minton designed dust jackets that David used on some of her early books, each chapter in this book is preceded by a full page Minton illustration, and also highlighted elsewhere by some smaller ones. Peter Ross, librarian at London Guildhall, who compiled an extensive list of annotations from 900 of her books obtained after her death, said: 'She was an extremely private person who gave very few interviews so we didn't get to find out a lot of what she thought when she was alive. She could be highly critical, and had a habit of writing her often biting remarks on post-its or even on the backs of the book receipts. Parts of her own publications also came in for criticism. She wrote in October 1983: 'I never did care very much for the John Minton illustrations for my books.'They are so cluttered and messy. They embarrass me now as much as they did in 1950.' E.D. published two booklets on "The Use of Wine in Fine Cooking". Although similar in appearance, they are both quite different, and are among the rarest of all her publications.

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Modern category

ref number: 10996

David. Elizabeth - A signed copy, with a signed letter to her editor
Italian Food
ITALIAN FOOD by ELIZABETH DAVID Drawings by Renato Guttuso. MACDONALD : LONDON.
FIRST EDITION. 1954. With a clean DJ. Signed on the fep by E.D.-- "To John, with love Elizabeth September 24' 1954" 1p Half Title. Frontispiece and Title Page. vii-viii Acknowledgments. ix Contents. [1] 11-313. 314-315 Bibliography - 'Some Italian Cookbooks'. [1] 317-335 Index. [1] 1fep. Also enclosed is a 2 page letter in E.D's handwriting, dated the same day - 24th. from her home 24 Halsey St SW3. To "Dear John" The pages are slightly browned at the edges. Also enclosed is a woodcut illustration of Melon, Salami and Proscuitto by Renato Guttoso. It is the same illustration that is on page 48, preceding the chapter on 'Antipasti e Insalate' There are many illustrations throughout the book. A very clean copy of the very scarce 1st edition. A very rare item especially with the topical letter and the Guttoso illustration.
- The signature in the book and on the letter are both dated on the same day and addressed to John; John Lehman her publisher. The letter states "Dear John Italian Food comes out today (just about three years since we signed the contract) I am glad to see it out at last, but also very sorrowful that it is not your production. I hope that you wont feel that I have taken you[r] name in vain in acknowledging my debt to you, and it occurs to me now that perhaps I should have asked you first, and if I have committed a breach of etiquette, please forgive me. I was anxious to put in record some word of tribute to the fact that without your encouragement I don't believe I could have carried it out, but whether or not the book has any success, I would like it not to be a discredit to you. With Love Elizabeth." During the writing of 'Italian Food' John Lehman's ailing publishing firm ground to a halt. In spite of being one of the most entrepreneurial and prestigious contemporary publishing names, Lehman was making a loss, and the printers Purnell told him they couldn't subsidize him any longer. Macdonald, the final publisher of 'Italian Food' was a financially successful firm under the Parnell aegis. Macdonald was offered Lehman's list of authors by Purnell, but agreed to take only two, one of whom was E.D. Elizabeth was furious, but could do nothing to extract herself from what she felt were Macdonald's clutches. Elizabeth acknowledges her debt to John Lehman in the 'Acknowledgments' at the beginning of 'Italian Food'- Hence the rather touching and pertinent letter.

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Modern category

ref number: 10997

Carlton Hotel. London - Escoffier was Chef de Cuisine for 20 years.
With a Brief History of the Site and the Surrounding Neighbourhood
Imprinted at the Sign of the Grassehopper, by Unwin Brothers, Ltd., The Gresham Press, in 27 Pilgrim Street, in the Parish of St. Anne's, Blackfriars, in the City of London. 1902.
Large 4to. 1fep as half-title. Frontispiece - etched b&w illustration of Carlton House.1820. Title page with 1" wide red engraved scrolled border with advertisement on verso. 1pp - Illustrations with advertisement on verso. 1pp - Contents. [1] 2pp - Introduction. pp 13-81. pp 17 Advertisements. [1] Bound in original dark tan calf with a 1/2" green fillet and gilt lines and dentelles. The back cover also with a 1/2" green fillet and gilt lines. Almost as new. All pages untrimmed, wide-margined and very clean. Also enclosed is a copy of a Carlton Hotel headed letter written in French by Mons. Escoffier to a Mr Cadier, with a translation of the letter. Also a b&w photograph of Cadier. Also a Carlton Hotel luggage label of that period. A postcard of The Grand Hotel des Thermes – Salsomaggiore, of which Escoffier's partner, Cesar Ritz was a Joint Proprietor. A very handsome copy of a very scarce book.
- This book is of great interest to the student or collector of Escoffier and Ritz. Mons. Auguste Escoffier was Chef de Cuisine of the Carlton Hotel from 1899 to 1919. The book was published and brought out during his tenure there. His name is mentioned on page 26. Mons. Cesar Ritz was the General Manager of the Carlton Hotel from 1899. They both moved from the Savoy Hotel, London to open the new Carlton Hotel. In the advertisements at the back of the book it shows the hotels that Cesar Ritz was involved with: The Grand Hotel des Thermes, Salsomaggiore - Joint Proprietor. The Hyde Park Hotel, London - Advisory Manager. The Hotel Ritz, Paris - Managing Director. There are also two hotels that show where Escoffier was Chef de Cuisine: The Grand Hotel, Monte Carlo, and the Grand Hotel National, Lucerne. The book, which was printed commemorating The Carlton Hotel and the neighborhoods of the Carlton House and Carlton House Terrace, includes sections on Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Malbourough House, Clubland, The Haymarket, St James Park, St James Palace and Hyde Park. A beautiful book, with many engravings and illustrations and all pages of text with red elaborately engraved borders.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10998