The Experienced English House-keeper. For the Use and Ease of Ladies, The House-keepers, Cooks, &c., Wrote Purely from Practice. Dedicated to the Hon. Lady Elizabeth Warburton, Whom the Author lately served as Housekeeper...
Manchester: Printed by J. Harrop for the author, 1769.
Octavo, iv+362 + xii pages. Two engraved folding plates of table settings. First edition. One of the most celebrated and popular of 18th century cookery books, placing the author in the same sphere as Hannah Glasse. In addition to her position as housekeeper to Lady Warburton, Raffald operated the Bull's Head Pub in Manchester, and the King's Head in Salford, both notable inns, helped found a newspaper, operated a confectionery shop and ran a cooking school. All this after having provided her husband, John Raffald, with many daughters (as many as sixteen depending on your source). Among the interesting recipes is one "To spin a Silver Web for covering Sweet Meats", and "Directions for a Grand Table." Internally there is a fair amount of light foxing throughout. Bound in old calf, and rebacked some while ago in compartmented, gilt-ruled and labeled calf. Hinges separated at the end of the first signature. With the author's signature to page one, in an attempt to foil the cookbook pirates. [Cagle 944; Maclean, page 121; Oxford, page 99; Simon BG 1249].
Price: $2,500.00