1833 A New System of Domestic Cookery - By A Lady / Illustrated Antique Book

Here is an antique hardback copy of A New System of Domestic Cookery By A Lady. Published in 1833 by John Murray, London. With ten engraved illustrated plates. In original boards, rebacked. Condition in detail below.

Originally published anonymously "by a Lady" in 1806, A New System of Domestic Cookery was written by Maria Eliza Rundell and became the most popular cookbook of the first half of the 19th century. It went on to evolve into a massive, heavily expanded household bible that served as a cornerstone of the middle-class British home.

Maria Rundell originally gathered the recipes, home remedies, and household management tips as a guide for her three married daughters. She sent the manuscript to an old family friend, John Murray, who published it in London. It's success effectively funded the expansion of the famous John Murray publishing empire (which later published Charles Darwin and Bronte's Jane Eyre).

The full subtitle was Formed Upon Principles of Economy; and Adapted to the Use of Private Families. It targeted middle-class housewives (the rich bourgeoisie) rather than aristocratic kitchens, focusing on avoiding waste. It went beyond cookery and was a complete manual for household survival. Including detailed chapters on home brewing, servant management, care of the dairy, poultry rearing, and home remedies for the sick.

It is historically famous for containing some of the earliest English recipes for tomato sauce and the very first printed recipe for Scotch eggs.

Before modern giants like Mrs Beeton took over the market in the 1860s, Mrs Rundell’s work was the ultimate kitchen authority across the English-speaking world.

Inside this copy the pages are clean and tightly bound. They have spotting throughout the text and the occasional brown blemish. No inscriptions or markings of previous ownership. This copy has been rebacked and so has newer endpapers.

In the original boards, with leather spine and papered marbled sides. A good deal of rubbing to the leather on the edges, corners and to the papered boards. Rubbing also plus some chips and scuffs to the leather on the spine. A strong and tight binding after the rebacking.

Your antique copy of A New System of Domestic Cookery 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 17 cm x W 11 cm, 448 pages, 0.48 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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