Modern Domestic Cookery

London, Dean & Munday, 1819.
Second-hand hardcover

Hammond, Elizabeth. Modern Domestic Cookery & Useful Receipt Book. (3rd Ed) Dean & Munday: London, 1819. 12mo (160x100mm) recased, half bnd brown leather, marbled bds, [iii],iv,[5],6-2pp, 6 plates. Tight backed, new eps; faint soiling; light buckling

HAMMOND, ELIZABETH.

Modern Domestic Cookery, & Useful Receipt Book. Containing the most approved directions for purchasing, preserving and cooking meat, fish, poultry, game, &c. in all their varieties; trussing and carving; preparing soups, gravies, sauces, made dishes, potting, pickling, &c. with all the branches of pastry & confectionary; a complete family physician; instructions to servants, for the best methods of performing their various duties; the art of making British wines, brewing, baking, &c.

London : Dean & Munday, Threadneedle Street and A. K. Newman & Co, Leadenhall Street, 1819. Third edition, with additions. First published in 1817. Price 4/-.

Duodecimo (in 6s) (160x100mm) recased, half bound brown leather, five raised bands, black spine label, marbled boards, new end-papers, [iii],iv,[5],6-288pp : [B]⁶, C-Aa⁶,[Bb]⁶. Six monochrome engraved illustrations by Courbould and Davenport: frontispiece and extra title page¹, and four illustrations of carving. Spine edges faintly worn; spine tight backed; faint occasional soiling and foxing to the text-block; light buckling throughout; else generally near fine.

¶ An uncommon late Regency period cookbook. There are approximately 850 entries in the index, of which about 70% are recipes, the balance hints and advice on health, marketing, carving, managing a household and managing one's servants. The recipes are written longhand, using measures for some but not all ingredients. The role of the wife as the mistress of the house, the common lack of domestic understanding amongst young women, and the need for economy are stressed; suggesting the intended audience was the lower or emerging urban trade and middle class.

Nothing is known of the author. The book was apparently popular, selling 18,000 copies in 2 years². The publisher Dean & Munday, was, unusually, a partnership of the daughters of William Bailey, publisher, named for their husbands, but under their control. Dean & Munday published affordable books, and in later years, became famous for novelty, illustrated and mechanical books for children, when known as Dean & Sons.

Scarce. An excellent copy.

§ OCLC records 5 holdings this edition, Cornell and 4 in the UK; and only 9 copies in total of the first and second editions; none in Australasia.
§ Oxford pp.143-144; Bitting pp.211-212; Simon GB 812; Axford p.211;
Conforms with the digital copy held by the Bodleian Library.
¹ Both appear original, possibly facsimile.
² The British Luminary, 17 October 1819 p.8

Item #11048

Price: $350.00 AUD

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