COOKING

[George Augustus Sala: 1881 Christmas Day menu by 'Sala & Co | Refreshment Contractors'.] Hand-written menu on decorative card.

Author: 
George Augustus Sala (1828-1895), journalist, author and bon viveur, associated with the Illustrated London News (as G. A. S.) and the Daily Telegraph, founder of the Savage Club,
Publication details: 
'Sala & Co | Refreshment Contractors | 46 Mecklenburgh Sq. | W.C.' 1881.
£100.00

An attractive item, neatly written out in black ink on one side of a 13 x 8.5 cm piece of shiny card, with printed decorative border of flowers in gold and blue. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with traces of mount adhering to reverse. As a joke, at the foot, in block capitals, the menu is attributed to 'Sala & Co | Refreshment Contractors', at Sala's address. An interesting artefact of the Victorian Christmas. The menu reads:'[fleuron] Menu. | CHRISTMAS DAY | 1881 | oysters on the half shell.

[ Limited edition, inscribed by Elizabeth Craig. ] Janie Ellice's Recipes 1846-1859 | Edited by Josie A. Wentworth | Foreword by Elizabeth Craig.

Author: 
Janie Ellice; Elizabeth Craig [ Elizabeth Josephine Craig ] (1883-1980), Scottish cookery writer; Josie A. Wentworth [ The Arcadia Press Limited, London ]
Publication details: 
[ London. ] The Arcadia Press Limited. 1974.
£95.00

124pp., 4to. Unbound (awaiting binding): with marbled endpapers and all edges gilt. Profusely illustrated with facsimile pages from the original. Edition limited to 265 copies. This copy out of series. In good condition, lightly-aged, on cream paper, with slight wear to endpapers. Craig's sprawling signature on title-page. Uncommon. Both OCLC WorldCat and COPAC conflate their entries for this edition with the trade edition published by Macdonald and Jane's in 1975. The only copy of the 1974 edition certainly thrown up by OCLC WorldCat at Oxford.

[ W. J. Macqueen-Pope, theatre manager and historian. ] Typescript of an unpublished account of the work of British millers and bakers during the war: 'No Medals for This (The Story of Bread in the Blitz)'. With two related Typed Letters Signed

Author: 
W. Macqueen-Pope [ Walter James Macqueen-Pope ] (1888-1960), theatre manager and historian [ Sydney Walton, publicist ]
Publication details: 
[ London, 1941. ]
£450.00

148pp., 4to. Bound with pink ribbon into grey card wraps with typed label on cover. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn and aged binding. Pencil note on title page states '40000 words'. An interesting piece of social history during wartime. In a foreword Macqueen-Pope thanks a number of individuals for their assistance, adding that 'the leading characters in this real life story must perforce remain anonymous'.

[Robert Carrier, 'celebrity' chef, cookery writer and television personality.] Autograph Signature inscribed to Joan Bell.

Author: 
Robert Carrier [Robert Carrier McMahon] (1923-2006), American chef, restauranteur, cookery writer and television personality
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£25.00

On 8.5 x 22 cm rectangle of paper, with corners cut diagonally to make an irregular octagon. Good bold inscription, in black ink, reads: 'Joan Bell - | Bestest - ever | Robert Carrier'.

Typed Letter Signed from Arnold Wesker to Renee Hellman of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, regarding his 'favourite recipe'.

Author: 
Arnold Wesker (b.1932), English playwright of the 'kitchen sink' school [Renee Hellman; Imperial Cancer Research Fund; Alan Bates]
Publication details: 
27 Bishops Road, London N6. 11 October 1965.
£56.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. He asks her whether she means by 'a favourite recipe' one 'which I know of that others are likely not to know of? Or just one that I like but might well be familiar?' He ends by suggesting that she try asking Alan Bates, 'who I think has a secret recipe'. He gives an address for the actor.

Autograph Letter Signed "H L Bulwer", diplomat and writer, to "Hamilton" about a cook for his residence in Spain..

Author: 
Henry L. Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer GCB, PC (1801–1872), Liberal politician, diplomat, traveller, and writer.
Publication details: 
18 June [c.1843 when he took up a diplomatic post in Spain]
£80.00

One page, 8vo, slightly crumpled and stained but text clear and complete, as follows: I remember that at Brussels there used to be female cooks who knew french and english cooking, could you find me one which knoiws well the english way [...] I should be glad to have one who could cook my dinner in regular english style with puddings, tarts, etc etc? I [want?] a quiet honest woman to whom I can confide the care of the small house I have at Aranjuez - the wages are indifferent. | Write to me if such a person is to be found and excuse the trouble I give you [...].

Autograph Letter Signed from the American cook Juliet Corson to 'Miss Booth' [Mary Louise Booth, editor of Harper's Bazaar], discussing the arrangements for the writing of a book ['Every-Day Cookery, Table Talk, and Hints for the Laundry', 1884].

Author: 
Juliet Corson (1841-1897), American writer of cookery books, Superintendent of the New York Cooking School (founded by her in 1874) [Mary Louise Booth (1831-1889), first editor of Harper's Bazaar]
Publication details: 
Continental Hotel, New York; 6 September 1883.
£280.00

2pp., 12mo. Good, on aged paper, neatly placed in a thin windowpane mount. After acknowledging receipt of $90, Corson announces that the previous week she 'had a letter from the House accepting my book.' She has received no answer to her letter asking for 'some information', and asks Booth to 'be my mediator again'.

Menu for a dinner of the Worshipful Company of Stationers at Brusnwick Hotel, Blackwall. With ornate doily cut border.

Author: 
The Worshipful Company of Stationers [Stationers' Company; paper doily]
Publication details: 
London: 18 July 1855.
£65.00

On one side of a piece of wove paper roughly 23.5 x 19 cm. A delicate and scarce piece of ephemera, in a remarkably good state of repair. Possibly a proof, as a thin blank strip along one of the vertical edges, intended to be detached and discarded, still adheres. The menu itself is crisply printed in the centre, covering a space roughly 17 x 13.5 cm.

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