[Sca-cooks] London Auction of Cookery Books

Raphaella DiContini raphaellad at yahoo.com
Fri Mar 18 15:18:57 PDT 2011


Oooh, this is so deliciously evil! There are a couple I'd love to have that are 
estimated (even if grossly underestimated) at a price that would normally seem 
to put them within reach. Unfortunately with a new baby and house in need of 
work even 300-400 GBP (which I'm guessing to be approx. 450-600 USD) is not even 
remotely in the budget, much less what they're likely to actually go for. < 
wimpers> Even with my birthday coming up, it's just not in the realm of 
possibility.  
 
I pine for the Il Tesoro della Sanita. What a thing of beauty! Oh the research! 
I'd give it a very loving home and make sure it didn't go to waste. :) 
http://www.bloomsburyauctions.com/detail/35800/1.0
 
I also received a large number of cookbooks from my paternal grandmother's 
collection. She didn't actually cook all that much, but she was an avid 
collection of cookbooks especially those off the beaten path. There are a lot of 
interesting limited run international cookbooks, and I used to joke that her 
church cookbook collection had every possible denomination represented at least 
once. However, my most cherished possession is the book of recipes and household 
tips that my maternal grandmother handwrote for me as a work of love before her 
eyes and hands failed her. If I ever experience another house fire I'm getting 
my son first, and that book second. It wouldn't have any financial value, but 
it's priceless to me. 

 
In covetous abandon, 
Raffaella  


________________________________
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Fri, March 18, 2011 2:29:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] London Auction of Cookery Books

I just downloaded the catalogue and saved it. I'll have to try and buy  a copy 
with results when I am in London.

I would guess that the values are underestimated by several times. I know I bid 
on several of James Beard's books at his sale. They were estimated at say 
$30-$40 and they sold for ten times that because of the bookplates. People who 
knew Alan Davidson will want a book that belonged to him.

It will be interesting to see what these bring. The fish and natural history 
collection may not bring thousands but those 17th century texts may go for 
quite  a bit.

Values in cookbooks are so dependent on fashion and the market.

Some of the odd things I inherited are really worth a great deal, but it 
depends.  Like a 1904  first JELL-O® gelatin recipe book or the first Pillsbury 
Bake-Off Cookbook. I received both my Great Grand Mother's and Grand Mother's 
collections. I think it runs in the family.

Johnnae


      


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