The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant: A Practical Treatise on English and Foreign Cookery in all its Branches

1900. Reprint - sixty-fifth thousand. xx, 524pp. and a frontispiece portrait of Francatelli. The list of illustrations indicates 41 other illustrations of which 29 are present in the text. The other 12 illustrations were probably on plates which are not present, and may not have been issued in with this edition as there is no indication of any having been removed. Charles Elmé Francatelli (1805-1876), born in London of Italian descent, was a famous cook and writer of cookery book. Educated in France, he studied the art of cookery under Marie-Antoine Carême befroe returning to England where he was employed successively by various noblemen. He became chief chef of the St James's Club, popularly known as Crockford's club, left Crockford's to become chief cook to Queen Victoria from 9 March 1840 to 31 March 1842, returned to Crockford's and later had other prestigious appointments. His first book was The Modern Cook, published in 1845, and his The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant was first published in 1862. The title page of the book carries on to describe the work as "Containing Plain Instructions for Pickling and Preserving Vegetables, Fruits, Game, &c.; The Curing of Ham's and Bacon; The Art of Confectionery and Ice-making, and the Arrangement of Deserts. With Valuable Directions for a Variety of Wine-cups and Epicurean Salads; American Drinks, and Summer Beverages." The book is bound in the original maroon cloth covered boards with gold titling on the spine. The case of the book is in very good condition with shelf wear and light soiling to the boards. The spine ends are bumped and there is a 1/4" dent on the front spine edge that has caused a little bit of damage to the cloth. The contents are tight and clean with browning and some foxing to the free endpapers. There is no inscription.…