1767 The Art of Modern Cookery Displayed, Joseph Menon. 1st English translation

The 1st English edition of Menon's landmark French cookbooks, 1767 The Art of Modern Cookery Displayed, Consisting of the Most Approved Methods of Cookery, Pastry and Confectionary of the present time. Many classic recipes within including ragouts, ribs, sausages, toasted bread and ham and eggs, tureens, fricassee, chicken with wine sauce, glazing, soups, roasts, fish, pastries (puff, almond, etc), pies, tourtes, cakes, ice cream, creams, "baignets" (beignets), among many others.

This the only edition under this title, in 1769 the second edition was retitled The Professed Cook.

In the "apology", the translator tells us that this work was drawn from four "small volumes" (known to be works of Menon), although the title page refers to only one.

Provenance -

The Sontheimer Foundation bookplate on the pastedown; Carl G. Sontheimer was an American inventor and engineer best known for creating the Cuisinart.

Bibliographic Details -

English Short Title Catalogue number N14583. Somewhat scarce, only eight copies listed. On that note, the 1913 All English Cookery Books notes, "no copy has been seen of late years" (page 95).

At the time of listing this book for sale, no other copies found on the market (using Vialibri).

Library of Congress number 44050316

OCLC Worldcat catalogue number 7531368

A note on the flyleaf gives the following references, Maclian p.99, Wheaton p.170 #4125, Bitting p.519, Vicaire p.49, Oxford p.95 (see note above).

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 21.5 x 13.5 x 4.5 cm. Leather binding, respined. Boards with double gilt fillet frame. Five raised bands to spine; five compartments with central gilt leafy medallion and corner flowering vines, one compartment with title in gilt on black morocco, and year in gilt at base of spine. All edges red (top edge darkened). With the blank leaf at ends of both volumes.

Pages - xvi, (24 unnumbered, "contents"), 286, 1 blank leaf, title leaf of v. II (presumably signed U1), (24 unnumbered, "contents"), 289-588, last leaf blank

Collation - a8, a8, b4, B-T8, U1, a8, b4, U2-Z8, Aa-Pp8

Condition -

See pictures. Binding with older, and well-executed, respine; still, a few crack starts on rear joint. Edges and corners worn with a few rubs to boards. Pasteboard exposed at corners. Front endpaper with many ex-libris marks, bookplate, reference note, shelfmarks, etc.

Lightly toned throughout. 1st several gatherings at ends with a little more fox spots than others; some light foxing throughout. Occasional dog-eared page, thumb, etc. Graphite "74-" on back of title page. Couple spots on page 100. Ink thumb bottom margin 192. Ink thumb at bottom of text on 515. 521-524 with bump at top-edge. Last blank page ghosted by front title page, like it sat on another copy at the printer's or at the book shop before sale and binding. Bookseller ticket "Cook's Books" on rear pastedown.