The Book of Household Management

London, Ward, Lock, & Tyler, [ca.1877].
Second-hand hardcover

Beeton, Isabella. The Book of Household Management. (277th Th) Ward, Lock & Tyler: London, [ca.1877]. 8vo (185x125mm) rebacked qtr bnd diced red morocco, partial original spine label, original green cloth bds, a.e speckled red xl,[2],a-d,1139,[1],12,32pp.

BEETON, Mrs Isabella [Isabella Mary, née Mayson (1836-1865)]

The Book of Household Management; comprising information for the mistress, housekeeper, cook, kitchen-maid, butler, footman, coachman, valet, upper and under housemaids, lady's-maid, maid-of-all-work, laundry-maid, nurse and nurse-maid, monthly, wet, and sick nurses etc., etc. Also sanitary, medical and legal memoranda. With a history of the origin, properties, and uses of all things connected with home life and comfort. Entirely New Edition, revised and corrected with new coloured engravings.

London : Ward, Lock, and Tyler, Warwick House, Paternoster Row, undated, circa 1877¹. Second edition, 277th thousand. Printed by J Ogden & Co Printers, [London].

Octavo (185x125mm) recased and rebacked, quarter bound diced red morocco, partial original spine label laid down, publishers original green cloth boards, and yellow-paper endpapers, all edges speckled red xl,[2],a-d,1139,[1],12,32pp : [a]⁸, b⁸, (a-d²), B - 4C⁸, 4D², χ⁶,χ¹⁶. Twelve out-of-text French² chromolithographic plates, as called for. Hinges repaired, boards edges and corners lightly worn, some fraying ; spine cracked at p.iii but firm. Internally fine.

¶ An early second edition of the classic mid-Victorian cookery book reference, illustrated with up-to-date chromolithographic plates. Published just over a decade after the author's passing, it now includes numerous pages of advertisements for household goods and services before and after the text. Samuel Orchart Beeton, the publisher of the first edition had sold the rights to the book to Ward, Lock, and Tyler shortly after his wife's death. Until his death he continued to have an interest and some dealings with Ward, Lock, and Tyler in connection with some of the content sold. S.O. Beeton died in 1877, making this to be the last edition/impression to have any direct connection with the original publisher and author.

An excellent text, sympathetically rebacked. A core reference in any collection of domestic manuals or British cookery books.

¹ Dating this volume raises some questions. The 253rd thousand was published in 1876. The preface refers to the second edition of 1869. The publisher advertisements are consistent with this. So to is the publishers imprint. The publisher reverted to Ward Lock & Co in 1873 when Tyler retired. However, the tipped in pink page at p.iv from the publishers Ward, Lock & Co calling for contributions, is dated 1 October 1877. The advertisement on the rear endpapers advertises a gold medal awarded in 1877. The publishing records were destroyed during WWII. As such, it is possible that the pre-1873 print run was not exhausted and bound up in 1877. Alternatively Tyler maintained some interest in the title beyond his resignation from the publisher.
² Chromolithographic plates produced by G Fishback, Strausborg (the surviving business partner of Gustave Silbermann (1801-1876)

Item #11101

Price: $450.00 AUD

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