1811 The Young Woman's Companion or Frugal Housewife - Regency/Georgian Cookery Recipes and Household Advice

In good condition, here is an early Regency first edition copy of The Young Woman’s Companion; Or, Frugal Housewife. Published in 1811 by printers Russell and Allen in Manchester, England. In a full, rebacked leather binding and with six engraved illustrated plates. Condition in detail below.

Aimed primarily at literate young women from the rising middle class, The Young Woman's Companion served as a comprehensive guide to running a household, mastering social accomplishments, and maintaining moral discipline. Despite its modern reputation as a historic cookbook (with numerous recipes and plenty of catering advice), the manual is actually a broad text on domestic economy and lifestyle management. At over 552 pages long, the book includes:

The Art of Cookery: Detailed instructions on how to butcher, dress, and prepare various types of meat, poultry, game, and fish.
Preservation: Specialized methods for pickling, preserving fruits, potting meats, collaring, and confectionary.
Beverage Making: Instructions on how to manage and colour foreign wines and spirits, brew malt liquors (beer), and ferment British wines.
The Art of Carving: Complete guides to properly carving meat at the dinner table, highly illustrated with detailed engravings.
Plus: Rules on how to shop for fresh ingredients, calculate expenses, and evaluate the quality of goods.
Social Accomplishments: Unlike specialized recipe books of the era, this text contains substantial instructional sections meant to elevate a young woman's personal education and social standing. Featuring advice on topics such as letter writing, correspondence etiquette, instructions for drawing and painting, plus brief lessons covering fundamental history and geography.

The book was originally published anonymously, but its introduction states that the material was compiled and endorsed by "A Very Distinguished Lady".

Inside the pages have tanned. With some handling marks, brown blemishes and folded corner tips. Toning to the outside edges. Two leaves have light staining to the edge. The book has been rebacked and so has new endpapers. No inscriptions, writing or markings of previous ownership.

I believe it to be in the original leather boards with a rebacked, more recent leather spine. This book has been well loved and well taken care of, and there looks to have been some professional repair to the leather also on the corners. Mild scuffing to boards and a little perishing of leather around the edges - but minor. The leather colour on the spine has lightened in comparison to the sides. The spine has gilt bands and red Moroccan title plate and has remained very smart. Binding is extremely tight and strong.

Your Georgian period copy of The Young Woman's Companion will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged. I am always happy to add a gift card with message to the parcel.

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H 22 cm x W 14.5 cm, 352 pages, 0.77 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK. (There are just a very few countries which I am unable to ship to).

* If you prefer for your book not to be decoratively wrapped but sent simply in the protective packaging please add a note to the order.

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