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Escoffier. Georges Auguste - With Escoffier's menu, booklet and ephemera.
The Carlton Hotel
One of Escoffier's Menus as well as a booklet with recipes for His sauces and two of Eugene Herbodeau's menus plus other Carlton Hotel Ephemera.
The Carlton Restaurant 'Carte du Jour' menu is dated 29th Avril 1908. It is slightly age-browned with ink inscriptions at the top describing some new dishes not featured on the menu. There are 2 dinner menu's from 4 Carlton Gardens dated 15 and 31st March, without a yearly date. Then two of Eugene Herbodeau's menus, the first for Xmas Dinner and a separate blue invitation card to New Years Reveillon. The second menu is a very rare special Luncheon with Anna Pavlova as main guest. Also enclosed is a recipe booklet with the original blue covers almost detached. It has Escoffier's name and the Carlton Hotel 'coat of arms' embossed in slightly faded gilt on the front cover. It is titled 'A Few Recipes'. It has a title page. p 1 Introduction. p 3-7 Preface. p 8-40 Recipes. p 41-42 Advertisements for Escoffier Sauces. p 43-44 Advertisement for 'A Guide to Modern Cookery'. p 45-47 Index. [1] There is a blue water stain in the top corner of all pages, not affecting the text. Also a finely designed folded card advertising the 25th Anniversary of the Carlton Hotel, very beautifully decorated in silver with blue leaves and a border of fruit; It has three finely drawn vignettes of the Hotel, the Restaurant and the Palm Room. Also enclosed is a b/w photograph of Escoffier and Eugene Herbodeau and another b/w photograph of the Carlton Hotel, circa 1910. All housed in an specially made clam-shell box bound in half mid-tan calf with tan cloth boards. The spine with raised bands and gilt lettering.
- Auguste Escoffier's tenure at the Carlton lasted from 1899 - 1819. His Carte du Jour menu is dated 1908. The two menus from 4 Carlton Gardens, which was the residence of Lord Balfour (Ex-Prime Minister) are believed to be Escoffier's. This cannot be proven, but the menus were a part of a large amount of purely Escoffier ephemera that this compiler purchased. The recipe booklet and four page advertisement sheet features products and recipes promoting 'Escoffier's Sauces' that were produced and sold by his company - 'Escoffier (1907) Ltd' at 6 Ridgemont Street, Tottenham Court Road, London. Mons. Eugene Herbodeau was a one-time protege of Escoffier's and also his literary executor. Together with Paul Thalamas he wrote and published a history and biography of his great mentor. He was commis Chef Poissonier under Escoffier at the Carlton in 1913. He also became Chef de Cuisine at the Carlton Hotel after Escoffier retired in 1819. In the black and white photograph, Escoffier is quite old and in civilian clothes. Herbodeau is in a Chefs uniform. As Escoffier passed away in 1935 we can assume this photograph was taken at the Carlton Hotel sometime before his death. An interesting footnote to Escoffier’s time at the Carlton, concerns the future President of North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh [HCM]. Before becoming President he worked in the hotel kitchens from 1913 to 1917. He was waiting quietly in London for events to unfold, secretly hoping the conflict in the colonial regime in Indochina would lead to its collapse. When HCM started his job in the spring of 1913, he was part of the kitchen washing and cleaning team. For the staff, it was not unusual to see wealthy and famous clients leaving a lot of food on their plates after their meals. Whenever HCM saw a large chunk of beefsteak or a large piece of chicken untouched, he would transfer them to a clean plate and send them back to the kitchen. One time Escoffier asked HCM, “Why didn’t you throw these into the bins like others do?” HCM answered, “These things shouldn’t be thrown away. You could give them to the poor.” Escoffier was amused and pleased, “My dear young friend, please listen to me! Leave your revolutionary ideas aside for now, and I will teach you the art of cooking, which will bring you a lot of money. Do you agree?” Shortly after this conversation, HCM was promoted to the pastry and cake section, and Escoffier taught him the art of fine French desserts. He followed the grand chef’s instructions diligently, and with a keen interest. On French pastries, especially the pâte brisé, HCM mastered the skill very quickly. Escoffier had pioneered the techniques on how to mix the ingredients, how to handle the dough, and the key steps in the baking process that would produce a light, fluffy, and crispy crust. From the beginning, HCM’s mentor had noticed his unusual intelligence, and he always appreciated HCMs thoughtfulness and polite manners. Escoffier had no doubt that HCM (one of his favourite chefs) could have had a promising career ahead of him in the world of French haute cuisine. The Carlton Hotel was in its time one of, if not the most famous hotel in the world. Unfortunately it existed for only forty years. It opened in 1899 and was completely destroyed by Nazi Germany during the London Blitz in early 1940, after 57 consecutive nights of air raids ordered by Hitler. Any ephemera and menus from Escoffier's and Herbodeau's time working there are extremely scarce, and to have this varied and unique collection is quite rare.

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Modern category

ref number: 11064

Elyot. Kt. Sir Thomas - It had a big effect on cooks . Rare.
The Castle of Health,
Corrected, and in some places Augmented by the first authour thereof, Sir Thomas Elyot [Knight]. NOW NEWLIE PERused, amended, and corrected, this present year 1610. - A publisher's stamp - LONDON, Printed for the Company of Stationers, 1610.
139 x 178 x 15 mm. 1fep. Title page. [1] 5 pages A Proheme of Sir Thomas Elyot. Verso blank. 4 pages A Table. The First Book 13 - 22. The Second Book 22 - 80. The Third Book 80 - 112. The Fourth Book 112 - 140. 1fep. The title page quite browned and with a stain. A stain running from the title page to page 30, although not affecting text. Cropped at the top of the block with capital page headings in all pages slightly cropped but mostly still readable. A modern full brown calf binding with nicely and sympathetically blind-stamped boards. Spine with blind stamped raised bands and title in gilt.
- Thomas Elyot was the child of Sir Richard Elyot's first marriage with Alice De la Mare, but neither the date nor place of his birth is accurately known. It was claimed Elyot was an alumnus of St Mary Hall, Oxford, while the 'Athenae Cantabrigienses' put in a claim for Jesus College, Cambridge. Elyot himself says in the preface to his Dictionary that he was educated under the paternal roof, and was from the age of twelve his own tutor. In 1511 he accompanied his father on the western circuit as clerk to the assize, and he held this position until 1528. In addition to his father's lands in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire he inherited in 1523 the Cambridge estates of his cousin, Thomas Fynderne. His title was disputed, but Cardinal Wolsey decided in his favour, and also made him clerk of the Privy Council. Elyot, in a letter addressed to Thomas Cromwell, says that he never received the emoluments of this office, while the empty honour of knighthood conferred on him when he was displaced in 1530 merely put him to further expense. In that year he sat on the commission appointed to inquire into the Cambridgeshire estates of his former patron, Wolsey. He was in 1527 appointed High Sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. In 1531 he received instructions to proceed to the court of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, to try to persuade him to take a more favourable view of Henry V111's proposed divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, the emperor's aunt. As ambassador Elyot was involved in ruinous expense, and on his return he wrote unsuccessfully to Cromwell begging to be excused, on the grounds of his poverty, from serving as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire for 1532. He was one of the commissioners in the inquiry instituted by Cromwell prior to the suppression of the monasteries but he did not obtain any share of the spoils. There is little doubt that his known friendship for Thomas More militated against his chances of success, for in a letter addressed to Cromwell he admitted his friendship for More, but protested that he rated higher his duty to the king. From 1539 to 1542 he represented the borough of Cambridge in parliament. He had purchased from Cromwell the manor of Carleton in Cambridgeshire, where he eventually died. Elyot received little reward for his services to the state, but his scholarship and his books were held in high esteem by his contemporaries. As a prose writer, Elyot enriched the English language with many new words. In 1536 he published the first edition of 'The Castell of Health', which was a popular treatise on medicine, intended to place a scientific knowledge of the art within the reach of those unacquainted with Greek. This work, though scoffed at by the faculty, was appreciated by the general public, and speedily went through seventeen editions. These writings and knowledge of the time had a large effect on cooks as well. We see that the cookery books of the next century were much more developed and numerous. The hunger and need for people to improve the quality of life and health always pushes the need for pragmatic solutions. In the first half of the next century we see cookery books with 50% cookery and 50% medical advice side by side. This practice started to die out in the later part of the century where medical books stood alone next to books only with cookery recipes and advice. Besides this edition of 1610, some of the other books on Health in the same century by other authors are ; 'The Garden of Health' by William Langham 1633. 'The Haven of Health' by Thomas Cogham 1636. 'Regimen Sanitatis Salerni' Anon. 1649. 'Via Recta Ad Vitam Longam' by Thos. Venner 1650. 'The Rules of Health and Food' by Thomas Moffat 1655. 'The Way to Health' by Thomas Tryon 1691.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11253

Digby. Sir Kenelme - First Edition - 2nd Issue.
The CLOSET Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt. Opened:
Whereby is DISCOVERED Several ways for making of Metheglin, Sider, Cherry-Wine, &c. (the 2nd PART) TOGETHER WITH Excellent Directions FOR COOKERY As also for Preserving, Conserving, Candying, &c. Published by his Son's Consent. London, Prinetd by E.C. & A.C. For H. Browne, at the West-End of St. Pauls, 1671.
FIRST EDITION - 2ND ISSUE. 2 Parts. 1ST PART: Marbled end-papers with lovely elaborate gilt tooling. 2 fep. [1] Portrait frontispiece of Digby aged 62. Title page. [1] 2p 'To the Reader'. 1-103. 2ND PART: COOKERY: 104 - 251. 8p 'The Table'. [1]. 3fep. Marbled endpapers with lovely elaborate gilt tooling. Very handsome honey coloured polished calf by Bayntun (Riviere). French fillet frame on covers, raised bands, spine elaborately gilt in compartments with elegant central floral bouquet stamp, two crimson labels, intricately gilt turn-ins. At some time the back cover has split on one side from the board and been expertly rejoined as before, without loss. Marbled end papers, all edges gilt. From the Spokane Public Library, with the perforated and ink stamp on the 'To the Reader' leaf and with same accession number printed by hand on another page. The Frontis and title page have had expert repairs to page edges with no loss. Very slight hint of soiling here and there, but overall a very pleasing copy of a book not often found in agreeable condition. The binding at some time have had the boards break form the spine and getting reset. Now completely tight and very handsome. A very scarce item.
- The Frontispiece and Title page are slightly darker than the rest due to the book being on display at the Spokane Public Library for protracted periods of time. It also appears that the very good repairs carried out to those same page edges, (without loss) was due to paper brittleness accrued while on display. The first edition was printed in 1669. NUC locates an aggregate of nine copies of the two editions in seven libraries. Digby (1603-65) was a writer, navel commander, diplomat, scientist, philosopher, privateer, religious conversationalist, and more. In his book he devotes 89 pages to metheglin, which he also calls meath, a honey based brew to which various spices are added. From meath, Digby moves on to other liquids, including his own complicated 'aqua mirablis' recipe, the ingredients of which include cloves, spearmint, marigold and sack. Gradually the entries progress to more solid food, porridges and broths and end with meats and sweets. A few recipes include apples but there is singularly little talk of vegetables. The description of "how to fatten young chickens in a wonderful degree" gives one an insight into the Brobdingnagian zest of an aristocracy that had no misgivings about its place at the top of the food chain. Lit up by candles to ensure round-the-clock feeding, chicks were fed a pap of pulped raisins, bread and milk , to make them so fat that; "they will not be able to stand, but lie down upon their bellies to eat". Sir Kenelme Digby, who became as plump and rotund as one of his chickens, died on 1665. His first edition - first issue of 1669, was printed posthumously by his steward, George Hartman who used the recipes from Digby's papers. Hartman in turn, printed a book of Cookery in 1682 called 'The True Preserver'

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10932

Walton. Izaak - A miniature with original binding.
The Compleat Angler
OR THE Contemplative Man's Recreation BEING A DISCOURSE OF RIVERS, FISH-PONDS, FISH AND FISHING WRITTEN BY IZAAK WALTON LONDON: HENRY FROWDE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE AMEN CORNER, E.C.
64mo. 2,1/16" x 1,3/4".(48 x 55mm) 1fep. Half title. Frontispiece of Walton. Decorative Title Page with the words "The Complete Angler or the Contemplative Men's Recreation" Title Page. [1] vii-xii Epistle Dedicatory. xiii-xix+(1)1-588. (Strangely the pagination has the page numbering starting in the middle of the dedication to the Reader). Has little engravings of fish in the text. Bound in the publishers original clean full limp dark fawn crushed morocco with gilt lettering on spine and front cover. All housed in a full brown calf clam-shell box with gilt lines on the boards. Spine has raised bands with gilt lines and green and red labels with gilt lettering. Inside the clam-shell box is lined with red felt. Internally the book is very clean. A handsome little item. Extremely scarce.
- An Oxford University Press, Miniature Edition. There is no date, but on the verso of the decorative title, it states: from "the fifth edition, much corrected and enlarged". The fifth edition, published in 1676, was the last which Walton himself corrected. This little volume was probably published - circa 1900. Walton’s famous treatise on fishing was printed five times in the seventeenth century. It was first published in May of 1653 with an engraved title-page and engravings of six fishes in the text. The second edition of 1655 contains many alterations and additions to the text, the number of pages being increased from 246 to 355, and the number of chapters from 13 to 21. Seven commendatory poems were prefixed. Four engravings of fishes were added. The third edition was printed in 1661 and re-issued in 1664, with a new title-page. A commendatory poem by Brome previously printed is omitted, and there are a few alterations in the text. The most significant additions are the "Postscript touching the Lawes of Angling" and the Index. The fourth edition was printed in 1668 and closely followed the third in content. The fifth edition, printed in 1676, introduced further changes. The text was revised and considerable additions were made, the length of the text being increased by 20 pages. The copper-plates were re-engraved. Altogether, 'The Compleat Angler' was reprinted 10 times in the eighteenth century, about 117 times in the nineteenth century, and between 30 and 40 times in the twentieth century. Of a single edition published by Cassell & Co. in 1886, 80,000 copies had been sold by 1914. The text of the fifth edition, 1676, has usually been followed in the subsequent printings. A hugely successful book over the centuries that has few rivals.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10953

Carter. Charles - First edition of Carter’s second work.
The Compleat City and Country Cook: or Accomplish’d Housewife.
Containing, Several Hundred of the most approv’d Receipts in Cookery, Confectionary, Cordials, Cosmeticks, Jellies, Pastry, Pickles, Preserving, Syrups, English Wines &c. Illustrated with Forty-nine large Copper Plates, directing the regular placing the various Dishes on the Table, from one to four or five Courses: Also, Bills of Fare according to the several Seasons for every Month of the Year. Likewise, The Horse-shoe Table for the Ladies at the late In-stalment at Windsor, the Lord Mayor's Table, and other Hall Dinners in the City of London; with a Fish Table. &c. By Charles Carter, Lately Cook to his Garce the Duke of Argyle, The Earl of Pontefract, the Lord Cornwallis, &c. To which is added by way of Appendix, Near Two Hundred of the most approv'd Receipts in Physick and Surgery for the Cure of the most common Diseases incedent to Families: THE COLLECTION OF A NOBLE LADY DECEASED. A work design'd for the Good, and absulutely Necessary for all Families. LONDON: Printed for A.Bettesworth and C.Hitch; and C.Davis in Pater-noster Row: T.Green at Charing-Cross; and S.Austen in St. Paul's Church-Yard. M.DCC.XXXII.
FIRST EDITION. 1fep.[1] Title Page.[1] iii-viii Preface. 1-144. 145-280 Appendix. [1] 45 Engravings from copper plates of table settings with each page blank on the reverse side. 4 Further folding plates of table settings. 20 pages of Advertisements. 1fep. Small worm holes at the top of the advertisements and the fep. not affecting text. The original full dark brown calf expertly re-laid. With double gilt lines to the borders, raised bands and gilt lines on spine with later black label with gilt lettering. The cover with a nice patina. The text is clean and the pages have pleasing wide margins. The Title page and plates very slightly age browned but overall a very nice copy of a very scarce item.
- Carter’s second work, which has about 144 pages of his own recipes, with the rest being an appendix of recipes of interest to the “Mistress of a House or Housekeeper”, for preserves, pickles, drinks, cosmetics, and remedies. The medical part of two hundred cures and treatments is described on the title page as being taken from “The collection of a noble lady deceased”, thus presumably being from a household manuscript and secrets book. Oxford describes these recipes as “a horrid mixture of filth and superstition”. Besides the Dukes and Earls mentioned on the Title page, Carter was Cook to other nobles and military men including Lord Whitworth in “several embassies to Berlin, the Hague &c”, the House of Hanover and General Wade in Spain and Portugal in 1710 during the War of Spanish Succession. The last folded plate of the famous Horse-shoe shaped table is much copied in other books and is often used to highlight auction catalogues.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11047

E. S. [Eliza Smith] - a rare 2nd edition
The Compleat Housewife;
OR, Accomplished Gentlewoman's COMPANION: Being a COLLECTION of upwards of Five Hundred of the most approved RECEIPTS in (2 columns) COOKERY, CONFECTIONARY, PRESERVING, PICKLES, CAKES, CREAMS, JELLIES, MADE WINES, CORDIALS.With COPPER PLATES curiously engraved for the regular Disposition or Placing the various DISHES and COURSES. AND ALSO BILLS of FARE for every Month of the Yaer. To which is added, A Collection of near Two Hundred Family RECEIPTS of MEDICINES; viz. Drinks, Syrups, Salves, intements, and various other Things of sovereign and approved Efficacy in most Distempers, Pains, Aches, Wounds, Sores, etc never before made publick; fit either for private Families, or such publick-spirited Gentlewomen as would be beneficient to their poor Neighbours. By E------ S-----. The Second Edition. LONDON: Printed for J. PEMBERTON, AT THE Golden Buck, over-against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet-street. M.DCC.XXV11.
8vo. 1fep. Title page with double line border. p10 Preface. I-XV Index. [2] 2-318. p2 Advertisements. 6 Copper plate illustrations of table settings and dishes. 1fep. Full contemporary dark brown calf with two-tone boards and original blind tooling. The spine sometime relaid with brown label and gilt lettering. The whole shows its age but has a nice patina. Internally very clean. A wonderful copy of an early edition.
- This 2nd edition printed 1727 in the same year as the 1st edition. The first had 326 pages. Maclean states erroneously that Smith's full name only appears after the 1st edition. The initials on this 2nd edition refutes that. Maclean also records 18 editions printed up to 1773. Along with Hannah Glasse and Elizabeth Raffald, Eliza Smith is one of the best known 18th century cookery writers, and it was her work which in 1742 became the first cookbook to be published in America. The 5th edition was reprinted in 1742 by William Parks as the 1st American edition. Unlike Raffald and Glasse, little is known about Smith. In her preface she informs us she has for thirty years and upwards been constantly employed in fashionable and noble Families. Maclean notes that Lord Montague of Beaulieu has stated "When I was first shown 'The Compleat Housewife' I was fascinated to find that several of the recipes contained were identical to those in manuscript form in my books. Although it is not known which of the great houses Mrs E. Smith worked, it is more than probable that some dishes were originally created in one of my ancestor's kitchens."

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10983

Glasse. Mrs [Hannah]
THE COMPLETE ART OF COOKERY,
EXHIBITED IN A PLAIN AND EASY MANNER; WITH DIRECTIONS FOR MARKETING; THE SEASONS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, GAME, ETC. AND NUMEROUS USEFUL FAMILY RECEIPTS, ETC. BY MRS GLASSE. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY J.BARR & Co. 5, LITTLE FRIDAY STREET, CHEAPSIDE. MDCCCXLII.
130x76mm (5" X 3") 1fep. [1]Frontispiece with a double line border. Title page. [1] (1)6-24 Contents. (1)26-307. 308-323 Bills of Fare. 324-352 Useful Family Receipts. 1fep. With numerous in-text engravings. Slightly faded blue blind tooled full original cloth binding. The spine has be re-backed with a small chip missing and one gilt letter of the title. Internally very clean with the pages very slightly aged. A handsome copy of this small late copy of Hannah Glasse's great classic.
- Quite what Hannah Glasse would have made of this tiny tome published by J. Barr in 1842 almost 100 years after her famous first edition of 1747, we can only guess. As famous and unique as Glasse's folio first edition is, this very small late edition is at the opposite end of the scale and surely just as different and unusual. It is very scarce, especially in this fine condition. It is one of those items that if seen while out book hunting, has an immediate 'buy me' appeal, even if found in poor condition.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11125

Glasse Mrs [Hannah]
THE COMPLETE ART OF COOKERY,
EXHIBITED IN A PLAIN AND EASY MANNER; WITH DIRECTIONS FOR MARKETING; THE SEASONS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, GAME, ETC. AND NUMEROUS USEFUL FAMILY RECEIPTS. BY MRS GLASSE. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY J. S. PRATT. MDCCCXLV.
130x76mm (5" X 3") 2feps. – 1 is an ex-libris sheet with no name. [1]Frontispiece with a double line border. Title page. [1] (1)6-24. Contents (1)26-320. 1fep. With numerous in-text engravings. New blue cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. Internally very clean with the pages very slightly aged. A handsome copy of this late copy of Hannah Glasse's great classic. Almost classifies as a miniature. 32 pages less text than the first edition of 1842.
- A nice copy of this desirable late edition of Hannah Glasse’s famous classic first seen in 1747.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11188

Reynolds. M. A. Very rare. ?
THE COMPLETE ART OF COOKERY,
EXHIBITED IN A PLAIN AND EASY MANNER, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR MARKETING; THE SEASONS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, GAME, ETC. BY M.A. REYNOLDS. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY NEWMAN & CO. MDCCCL. Surrounded by an ornate border of leaves.
FIRST EDITION 1850. 130x82 mm. 1fep. Half Title. [2] Frontispiece with a double line border. Title page. [1] (1)viii-xx Contents. (1)22-242 with many etchings in the text. 243-256 Bills of Fare. Last page at the end – J.S. Pratt, Printer, Stokesley, Yorkshire. 1fep. Untrimmed text block. Original brown cloth covers, blinds stamped. Spine scuffed at each end. Very clean internally. A nice copy in the original state.
- After much research, information about this title and author cannot be found. Not showing in any of the bibliographies. COPAC also showing no copies. Researching online for the printer J.S. Pratt of Stokesley, Yorkshire, the following interesting data was found; The Pratt, Stokesley printing collection, was formerly the property of D W Richardson. It was housed at Stokesley library from 1978, but has now been moved to Northallerton library. The collection consists of about 200 items, mostly books, printed in Stokesley during the mid to late nineteenth century. The bulk of the collection was printed by J S Pratt, but other printers such as W F Pratt, Tweddell and Sons and W Braithwaite also feature. In conclusion one must attribute rarity to this little tome. If anyone has any other relevant information about this book I would very much appreciate being contacted thro' this site.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11226

NUTT. Frederick - The very rare first edition.
The Complete Confectioner
The COMPLETE CONFECTIONER; or the Whole ART of CONFECTIONARY: Forming a Ready Assistant to all Genteel FAMILIES; giving them a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE of CONFECTIONARY: with INSTRUCTIONS, NEATLY ENGRAVED ON TEN COPPER-PLATES, How to decorate a TABLE with TASTE and ELEGANCE, Without the Expence or Assistance of a Confectioner. By a Person, Late an Apprentice to the well known Messrs. Negri and Witten, of Berkley Square. London: Printed for the Author; and sold by J. Mathews, No. 18, Strand, MDCCLXXXIX. Price 10s 6d. neatly bound. Entered at Stationers Hall. (Nutt's name did not appear on the title page until the 3rd edition of 1806)
FIRST EDITION. 8vo. Pp. Half title. Title page [v-xxiv] [1] 2-212 Illustrations: Ten numbered engraved plates, consisting of six of table settings plus three folding. Plate number 10 - a pastry molding tool, bound in separately between pages 8 & 9. A very clean copy with minimal stains. Fully bound in dark brown calf, re-backed, raised bands with blind tooling , red label with gilt lettering. Contemporary boards slightly bumped with nice polished patina. A rare item.
- Although Nutt did not add his name to the 'Complete Confectioner', it is understood that it was out of respect for another famous confectioner, Domenico Negri, at the 'Pot and Pneapple' shop in Berkley Square, where Nutt had been formally apprenticed. This probably means that many of the recipes contained in the Complete Confectioner are from the 'Pot and Pineapple' as well as his other places of employment. All conscientious apprentices would keep a journal of all recipes seen and done, as they went about learning their trade. This can be seen in the original Frederick Nutt manuscript (see item #10908 above). Approximately a total of a third of the recipes in the manuscript match all the recipes in this first edition. The eminent cookery book dealer, Janet Clarke, informs us in her catalogue online, a very interesting little snippet about Nutt the professional confectioner and his book. To quote; "The author was obviously highly proficient in his art and his recipes are meticulous and was, at one time, offered £1000 to withdraw his work from the public in order to protect his fellow confectioners who were fearful of losing business to those who might rival them having learned their art through this work". He obviously declined the offer. One wonders in what regard Nutt's fellow professionals held him after that. This also was the first book of confectionery to be published in America in 1807, for Richard Scott and sold at his Bookstore, 243 Pearl St. NY. Re-printed from the 4th English edition, with large additions.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10909