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BRADSHAW. PENELOPE Very scarce 9th ed. circa 1747.
BRADSHAW'S VALUABLE FAMILY JEWEL,
BEING A STORE-HOUSE OF SUCH Curious Matters as All ought to be acquainted with, who intend to spend their lives either pleasant or profitable. Containing All that relates to CONFECTIONARY, COOKERY, PASTRY, PRESERVING, (with a small perpendicular line between) PICKLING, CORDIALS, MADE WINES, , BREWING &c. With a great Number of other Necessary Articles not to be met with in any other Book: Particularly, an excellent Method for the Management of a Beer-Cellar: How to keep Ale or Beer always exceeding Fine; and how to restore four Beer to its first Perfection; which Article has been of the utmost Service to the Purchasers of this Book. Likewise, an excellent Method to preserve a constant Stock of Yeast, even in the most scarce Seasons. In this Book is likewise inserted Mons. Millien's Method of preserving Metals from Rust, such as Guns, Grates, Candle-Sticks, &c. for the Discovery of which the Royal Academy of Paris gave him 10,000 l. (one long horizontal line) By Mrs. Penelope Bradshaw. (a second-long horizontal line) The Nineth [sic] Edition. [Price One Shilling.]
Small octavo. n/d circa 1747. 155 x 100 mm. Original inside cover and end-papers marbled. [1] 1fep. Title page. [1] 2p To the Reader. (1)vi-xi Index. (1)13-96. 2feps. Foxing or other spotting throughout; edges trimmed at an early date, just barely effecting text, but still full text is legible throughout. Early paper restoration to fore edge to pages of 49-56, again not effecting text. All in all, a handsome copy of a very scarce book.
- This book is as confusing as 'Edward Kidder's Receipts of Pastry and Cookery', to bibliographically ascertain publishing dates. Maclean on page 14 states the earliest known edition of this work is the 10th edition which was "certainly" printed in 1748. Then confusingly she notes no edition before the her stated fifth (with very large additions included within the 136 pages) of 1749. Then to top it all off, she has a stated 6th ed also "certainly" printed in 1749 and has a sixth of 1754. She also assumes; "Mrs. Bradshaw could have been misusing edition numbers to imply by 1748 that she had written a work that was much in demand". Given that the some editions appeared in earlier years, it is quite possible that the publishers began with a late edition number either to make the book sound more popular to the buying public, or if the recipes were lifted from other authors thus avoiding accusations of plagiarism by claiming that Bradshaw's book had already appeared earlier. All editions are rare with only three auction records cited for all editions. [OCLC locates ten copies of all editions, and just one copy (LOC) of this edition; ESTC N65042; Bitting, page 56; citing this edition (LOC copy); Cagle 575 (see notes); Maggs Bros, Catalogue 582; not in Oxford nor Vicaire. Villinova University Library includes 1748, 1749 & 1751 editions. The Wellcome Collection has a 1749 ed. Penn State University Library has a 12th ed.of 1749. Australian Libraries has a 10th ed of 1748. Because of the mind-boggling variance in dated editions, this stated ninth can possibly be dated 1747 or earlier.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11333

Cox. James - An unusually long 19
The Practical Confectioner,
EMBRACING THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF Pastry, and Confectionery, IN ALL THEIR VARIOUS BRANCHES; Containing upwards of 200 Genuine and Valuable RECEIPTS; CONSISTING OF upwards of 60 Second-Course and Supper Dishes; INCLUDING Jellies, Creams, Soufflés Puddings, Chantillas, and Ornamental Pastry and Confectionary of every description: Preserving in all its Various branches; Cakes and Biscuits of various kinds; Ice Creams and Water Ices; Sugars, Candies, Syrups &cc.; Many of which have never appeared in Print: the whole written in the plainest manner, without the least ambiguity; WITH THE BILLS OF FARE FOR BALL SUPPERS, ON A LARGE AND SMALL SCALE. BY JAMES COX. London: Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Browne; and sold by all the booksellers in the United Kingdom. 1822. PRICE EIGHT SHILLINGS.
FIRST AND SOLE EDITION: 12 mo. 2feps. Title page with printers - Newcombe of Broad-Street, Bristol on verso. [1] (1)iv-vi Preface. 4 Plates of Bills of Fare, 3 folding with the largest measuring an unusual 19 inches long. (1)8-220. (1)222-234 Index. 2feps. Full calf with slightly faded boards and relaid calf spine with blind tooling, gilt lines and lettering. Cookery books are famed for the attrition they suffer in the greasy hands of those that use them. Although this one lacks the aforementioned grease, internally it is slightly yellowed with age, but overall its a fine copy of an extremely scarce book.
- One of the landmark books in the field of confectionery, pastry and sweets. A sole edition, the date on the preface states Clifton (Bristol) August 1822, and also advertised for 8 shillings in The London Literary Gazette on Saturday, September 14th 1822. One sees the antiquated style of the title echoed in other books throughout the 19th century. Never the less, Cox’s well illustrated and informed work and although probably one of the the lesser known, is certainly on a par with the other great Confectioners; Nutt, Jarrin, Borella, Dubois et al. Copies in any condition are extremely scarce, even possibly rare. A key work in any collection of antiquarian cookery books. COPAC reveals five copies: St Andrews , Aberdeen, Cambridge, the Wellcome library and the BL also has one copy.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11153

Raheb. Barbara - 5 Exquisite miniature books - signed,
Gastronomy and Cookery
Book 1. Christmas Countdown Cookbook. Limited edition of 300 copies, this is #: 215. Book 2. Herbs and Spices. Limited edition of 300 copies, this is #: 274. Book 3. Liber Culinaria. Limited edition of 300 copies, this is #: 223. Book 4. The Origins of Foods. Limited edition of 300 copies, this is #: 83. Book 5. The English Tea. Limited edition of 300 copies, this is #: 26.
Book 1. 5x3.5mm Full red Leather with gilt on spine and gilt tooling on front cover. Title page and full text with some illustrations in the text. Book 2. 5x3.5mm. Full bottle green calf with ornate gilt tooling to spine and front cover. Title page and full text with some illustrations of herbs and plants in the text. Book 3. 9x4.5mm. Full black calf with gilt tooling to spine and front cover. Frontis. Title page and text. (a manuscript on medieval cookery) Also has a metal clasp. Book 4. 5x3.5mm. Full red Leather with gilt on spine and gilt tooling on front cover. pp142. With some ilustrations in text. Book 5. 5x3.5mm. Full black calf with gilt tooling to spine and front cover. Title page and full text. All the books are signed by Barbara Raheb. All are beautifully bound. They are kept in a nice clamshell box bound in full dark calf with red and green labels and gilt lettering. An exceptional item.
- Unfortunately, due to fading eyesight, Barbara Raheb has now stopped creating these exquisite little books. They are made to an exceptional standard. In each book, the sum of the parts are in perfect proportion to the whole. These five came from a museum of miniatures, and as such are like new. They are highly collectable and sought after. As only 300 of each were produced and printed, in time, great rarity will ensue.

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Modern category

ref number: 10974

Carter. Susannah - A fantastic copy of a cookbook in its original state.
The Frugal Housewife
OR, Complete Womans Cook. WHEREIN THE ART OF DRESSING ALL SORTS OF VIANDS WITH CLEANLINESS, DECENCY AND ELEGANCE, IS EXPLAINED IN FIVE HUNDRED APPROVED RECEIPTS IN Gravies, Sauces, Roasting, Boiling, Frying, Broiling, Syllabubs, Creams, Flummery, Jellies, Giams, and Custards, TOGETHER WITH THE BEST METHODS OF Potting, Collaring, Preserving, Drying, Candying, Pickling, AND MAKING OF ENGLISH WINES; TO WHICH ARE ADDED TWELVE NEW PRINTS, Exibiting a proper Arangement of Dinners, Two Courses for every Month in the Year. WITH VARIOUS BILLS OF FARE. BY SUSANNAH CARTER, OF CLERKENWELL.LONDON: PRINTED FOR E. NEWBURY, THE CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD 1795.
The 3rd London edition. 12mo. Frontispiece (a Copper plate of Trussing) Title page. 6p The Index. 4p A Bill of Fare. 1p [1] a Copper plate of Trussing. [1] 2-180. 12p Woodcuts of Table Settings. Original publishers blue newspaper binding. Pages pristine and most uncut. Edges untrimmed, as issued. Housed in a handsome modern half black leather clam-shell box with black cloth boards. Spine with raised bands, gilt lines and two bottle green labels with gilt lettering. A unique and rare copy.
- The first question that comes to mind when viewing this little book is, where has it been kept for over 200 years; to still be in this condition is wonderful. The original newspaper cover is quite delicate and a little faded and needs to be handled with care; hence the need to house it in the special clamshell box to protect it for the next 200 years. After buying a book, leather bindings had to be ordered from a binder and paid for separately. Not surprisingly publisher's and binder's establishments were often found in close proximity to each other. The 1st edition of Carter's cookery book was published, London, circa.1765. From the PRB&M Co. we learn "Although in its initial U.S. appearances, the Frugal Housewife was strictly oriented towards British cuisine and ingredients, it was later adapted and expanded for American housewives, and portions of the original publication directly formed the basis for the first American-authored cookbook: Amelia Simmons's American Cookery". The first American edition of The Frugal Housewife, printed without a date, was advertised by Edes & Gill in the Boston Gazette as “this day Published” on 2 March 1772. As an interesting side-note, Edes & Gill are best remembered as the most important printers in Boston during the American Revolution. In 1773, one year after publishing Carter's cookbook, they and their newspaper, the Boston Gazette, played a crucial role in sparking the Boston Tea Party.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10975

Bradley. Richard
THE Country Housewife
AND LADY’S DIRECTOR, For every Month of the Year, BOTH IN THE Frugal Management of a House, and in the Delights and Profits of a FARM. CONTAINING The Whole Art of Cookery, LAID DOWN IN A great Variety of the Best and Cheapest Receipts for Dressing all Sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, Fruits, and Herbs, which are the Productions of a Farm, or any foreign Parts. LIKEWISE The best Methods to be observed in Brewing Malt Liquors, and Making the several Sorts of English Wines. THE Arts of Pickling, Preserving, Confectionary, Pastry, &c. &c. Together with a few of the Most approved and efficacious Medicines, proper to be kept in every private Family. Published for the Good of the Public. By R. BRADLEY. Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, and Fellow of the Royal Society. The Sixth Edition. With great Additions and Improvements. LONDON: Printed for W.Bristow, the West-End of St.Paul's Cathederal, and C.Ethrington, at York. 1762.
12mo. 1fep. Title page.[1] 4p Introduction 'To the Ladies' 1+2-328. Monthly Dishes 329-343. Index 344-352. 1fep. Fully bound in original dark tan tree calf. With a re-laid spine with gilt lines and red and green labels with gilt lettering. With a nice patina. Internally nice and clean.
- Richard Bradley. 1688 – 1732, was a Professor of Botany at Cambridge. He was a prolific writer and his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is an eclectic mix of subjects, besides the usual chapters found in an eighteenth century cookery book. There is even an interesting section on the drying of Saffron. Bradley’s reputation in academic circles was severely besmirched in a very acrimonious and public dispute with Patrick Blair, an ambitious Scottish physician and fellow of the Royal Society. Whenever any bibliographical reference to Bradley is brought up, the dispute is part of his file. Whatever Bradley's reputation, his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is a very scarce and uncommon item, much sought after by collectors

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11039

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

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

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

Middleton. John - With a distinquished provenance
Five Hundred New Receipts
IN COOKERY, CONFECTIONARY, PASTRY, PRESERVING, CONSERVING, PICKLING; AND THE Several Branches of these ARTS necessary to be known by all good HOUSEWIVES. By JOHN MIDDLETON, Cook to his Grace the late Duke of Bolton. Revised and Recommended by Mr. HENRY HOWARD. LONDON: Printed for THO. ASTLEY, at the Rose against the North Door of St. Paul's. M DCC XXXIV.
FIRST & SOLE EDITION OF 1734. 8vo. Title Page. (i-iv) (1-249) 8pp 'Index' 1p 'Advertisement' Fully bound in contemporary light brown calf (sometime re-laid) with gilt lined borders. Spine with raised bands and faded gilt lines and a green label wit gilt lettering. Internally very clean - almost as new. The paper is unusually thick. With three bookplates, one of which is Claudia Q. Murphy's. A very scarce item.
- There appears to be two types of first issues. This one which is the large and thick papered version. A thinner paper issue also exists. The title page is featured in MacLean's 'Catalogue of Household and Cookery Books 1701-1800' She states that it is her favourite eighteenth century cookery book title page, among all others. It is very distinctly laid out with the printer 'Thomas Astley's' emblem of a Rose featured predominately. (The rose could also be mistaken for an artichoke!) The whole is surrounded by a two line border. This copy was sold, April 19th. 1926, at the auction rooms of Anderson Galleries, New York City, from Claudia Q. Murphy's cookery book collection. It went for $2.50. The sale also featured many other rare items for around the same prices. How one wishes 'time travel' was possible.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10949

Kitchiner. William - The rare first with a letter signed by Kitchener
APICIUS REDIVIVUS; OR, THE COOK'S ORACLE:
Wherein especially THE ART OF COMPOSING SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FLAVOURING ESSENCES IS MADE SO CLEAR AND EASY, BY THE QUANTITY OF EACH ARTICLE BEING ACCURATELY STATED BY WEIGHT AND MEASURE, THAT EVERY ONE MAY SOON LEARN TO DRESS A DINNER, AS WELL AS THE MOST EXPERIENCED COOK; Being Six Hundred Receipts, THE RESULT OF ACTUAL EXPERIMENTS INSTITUTED IN THE KITCHEN OF A PHYSICIAN, FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPOSING A CULINARY CODE FOR THE RATIONAL EPICURE, AND AUGMENTING The Alimentary Enjoyments of Private Families; COMBINING ECONOMY WITH ELEGANCE; SAVING EXPENSE TO HOUSEKEEPERS, AND TROUBLE TO SERVANTS. "I have taken as much pains in describing, in the fullest manner, how to make, in the easiest, most agreeable, and the most economical way, those Dishes which con-tribute to the comforts of the middle rank of Society, as I have in directing the preparation of those piquante and elaborate relishes, the most ingenious accom-plished "Officers of the Mouth" have invented for the amusement of Grands Gourmands. These are so composed, as to be as agreeable and useful to the stomach, as they are inviting to the appetite; nourishing without being inflammatory, and savoury without being surfieting" - vide PREFACE. page 3. LONDON; PRINTED FOR SAMUEL BAGSTER, NO.15, PATERNASTER-ROW, By J. Moyes, Grenville Street. 1817.
FIRST EDITION: 154x98mm. Unpaginated -- [a-b]12 [c]2 [B-Q]12 [R]4 - 210 Leaves. Four engraved plates. two with illustrations, two with text, describing quartering the ox, the calf, the sheep and the pig. With 2 feps. A good clean copy with some small ink stains on the Title page. Some manuscript notes on margins of Preface Page. Full dark brown nineteenth century calf with neat cross checked blind tooling with gilt lines at the edges. The spine with early elaborate gilt tooling sometime neatly re-laid. With a dark red label and gilt lettering. There are some ink marks to the title page that do not detract also some manuscript notes on the next page that do not affect the text. A nice copy of the very scarce 1st edition, elevating it to rarity with the topical letter signed by Kitchiner.
- The autograph letter signed 'Wm. Kitchiner', to 'My dear friend' thanking him for his zeal on behalf of Mr Harris. He goes on --- "You will be glad to hear that your old friend 'The Cook's Oracle' has recovered a state of health that he hardly ever hoped for, and in the course of this next week will pay a visit to Longmans about your book" Dated 8th Oct 1826. Measuring 4x3" x 2 folding pages, in good condition, with a newspaper advertisement for Ude's 'The French Cook.'

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10970