Le Menage des Champs et de la Ville, ou Nouveau Cuisinier Fr...

Le Menage des Champs et de la Ville, ou Nouveau Cuisinier Francois no author stated (but Louis Liger). pub. Michel David, Quai des Augustins, Paris. 1714, first edition of this influential work which would become a standrad text book of French eighteenth century gastronomy. 12 mo. Full sprinkled calf binding, a 'sophisticated' binding with five raised bands, title label on the spine in contrasting leather and gilt stylings. Bound without the five plates, which was common enough in the period. The binding demonstrates that the text block (sans plates) was given to a binder by a wealthy patron who wanted a nice copy for his, or her shelves. Watermark to the fore-edges of the text block extends within at some pages, but a pleasing copy of this important French work. With: Les Classiques de La Table, Frederic Fayot, pub. Mlle Laignier, 1846. 4th ed. Octavo. 658 pp. Six full page steel-engraved plates. Green and black patterned paper covered boards, leather spine with gilt title and stylings. The covers show small areas of loss to the paper and rubbing, especially to the fore edges. The initial title page has been cropped to the title only and that fragment pasted to the front free endpaper, so the volume is only identifiable by the second title page. The book was conceived by the author as a collection of essays and anecdotes on gastronomy and includes contributions by some of the most important writers in the field. The publisher, Mme Laignier would take unsold sheets and offer them for sale with variable plates which the buyer could then bind up to their own taste, as here, so the volume is a period composite, and likely unique from a bibliographic point of view. This copy is particularly interesting because of the provenance. At some point the volume was purchased by Tore Wretman; the pastedown bears his ex libris. Wretman [1916-2003] was a celebrated Swedish chef, considered the father of modern Swedish cuisine whose extensive library was sold at Sothebys in October 1997. It is likely the book was acquired from that sale.

Estimate:$200.37

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