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This is the exceedingly rare first edition of Charlotte Mason's famous housekeeping book on cookery, supplying the table/menu planning based on the number of courses in the meal and homebrewing. Due to its enormous popularity and influence, 10 editions were published between 1773 and 1805. A pirated Dublin edition popped up in 1778, and various reprints of the multiple editions are still in publication today. Overall condition: VG+ and complete. Important provenance of Eliza Gifford (see below) RARITY VERY RARE. No other first edition listed for sale (nor do I see the scarce 2nd ed.)WorldCat locates only three first editions held by institutions, including the British Library. I can only identify the first edition being sold at auction two times in the past 100 years. This is a prized publication. To put it in perspective, a 3rd edition in much lesser condition, including two detached boards, sold for $800 back in 1998 - over 28 years ago. PROVENANCE Signed by Elizabeth Giffard on the title page in 1807. "Elizabeth (Eliza) Giffard (1766 ? 1842) was a woman whose life spanned one of the most intensive periods of change in the publication, circulation and consumption of books in Great Britain and western Europe since the development of movable type.Born into a long-established family of the Welsh landed gentry, she became the sole inheritor of the family estate at the end of the 18th century. As an independent woman in control of her own finances, her library is important because it represents proof of an individual woman?s own reading choices ? not those dictated by a husband or father." (source:The Library of Eliza Giffard ?https://wp.nyu.edu/eliza_giffard_library/) BOOK INFO Full title:The lady's assistant for regulating and supplying her table : containing one hundred and fifty select bills of fare, properly disposed for family dinners of five dishes, to two courses of eleven and fifteen, with upwards of fifty bills of fare for suppers from five dishes to nineteen, and several deserts including a considerable number of choice receipts of various kinds, with full directions for preparing them in the most aproved manner, now first published from the manuscript collection of a professed housekeeper, who had upwards of thirty years experience in families of the first fashion. In this first edition, the author is simply listed as A Professed Housekeeper with over 30 years of experience. In subsequent editions the author's name is revealed to be Charlotte Mason, whom little is still known. Published in 1773 in London by J. Walter. First edition. Bound in later 1/2 polished calf with board marbled paper double ruled in gilt. The spine with blind stamped raised bands ruled in double gilt fillets; a gilt-lettered red leather label in compartment two. Octavo, 8.5" x 5.5". Collated and complete:iv, 408, [12] pp. Chapter woodcut head-pieces. CONDITION REPORT The book is in VERY GOOD+ condition, particularly for a 250-year-old cookbook. Rebound in later 1/2 calf, refreshed endpapers. Exterior and binding: Near Fine - light rubbing to extremities, and spine is sun-lightened else FINE. Square spine, firm hinges and joints, sharp corners, tight pages. Interior: Pages are generally white to lightly toned. First few leaves are browned. Signature in ink on title page dated 1807 of Eliza Giffard.Some offsetting from leather turn-ins. Light to sporadic foxing, heavier and more consistent for the last 32 pages or so. Light handling overall for a 250-year-old plus cookbook ? the occasional kitchen smudge, a few bent corners, a few small chips to foot of title page margin, one small rust hole affecting a Signature number on bottom margin. No text affected. Bound by Ex Libris bindery stamp at foot of rear blank. All in all, a very rare first edition of a very popular cookery book in higher grade collectible condition and with the signature of an impressive, independent female book collector from the late 18th to early 19th century. .
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