The Complete Confectioner, or, The whole art of confectionary made easy: containing, among a variety of useful matter, the art of making the various kinds of biscuits, drops ... as also the most approved method of making cheeses, puddings, cakes &c. in 250 cheap and fashionable receipts. The result of many years experience with the celebrated Negri and Witten.
New York: Reprinted, for Richard Scott and sold at his Bookstore, no. 243 Pearl-street, 1807.
Duodecimo (18 x 11 cm.), 91, [1] pages. Frontispiece. Index. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. The first confectionery manual printed in America. Originally published London, 1789; this American issue, after the London “4th edition, with considerable additions”. The author fancied his work was just the second work on the subject published in England, and went to some efforts to disparage the author of what he called the first, Hannah Glasse and her work, The Compleat Confectioner. There were other works that precede Glasse’s book, and it’s hard to believe Nutt was not aware of them (see David, Harvest of the Cold Months, pages 312-315). Elizabeth David describes the recipes as including, “plenty of up-to-date recipes, all carrying the implied guarantee that they were those used by one or other of the three finest confectioners in London. Ices in particular were offered in impressive variety. There were thirty-one different ice-creams – called so, unusually for the period – many made with fresh fruit, others with jams or fruit jelly, some with a basis of fruit syrups and a flavouring of some potent essence such as bergamot orange. Ginger, chocolate, coffee, pistachio were other flavourings used by Nutt...” Nutt worked for the famous London confectioners Negri & Witten of the Pot & Pineapple in Berkeley Square, and in the early London editions of this work the frontispiece includes an image of the Goddess Pomona seated beside a potted pineapple. Beyond Nutt, other confectioners who worked for Negri & Witten include Robert Abbott, William Jarrin and William Gunter, all of whom, like Nutt, went on to publish their own confectioners’ manuals. The frontispiece etching of the present edition depicts a kitchen scene and includes the text, “Pamelia, the lovely Pamelia setting an example of domestic economy and industry.” The frontispiece is credited, “Drawn by R. Corbold. / F. Kearny & c.” Unlike the London publications the first American has no additional plates. A few small early pen annotation to rear endpapers; bit of foxing throughout. In original tree-calf boards, re-backed, in full brown calf, with gilt-titled and -decorated spine label. Some wear to edges of boards. Generally very good. Rare. [OCLC locates twenty copies; Bitting, page 347; Cagle 573; Lowenstein 38; Shaw & Shoemaker 13270; Wheaton & Kelly 4498].
Price: $2,500.00