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The Gentleman's Companion.: Volume I: Being an Exotic Cookery Book, or, Around the World with Knife, Fork and Spoon. Volume II: Being an Exotic Drinking Book, or, Around the World with Jigger, Beaker and Flask.
by BAKER, Charles H
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: The Derrydale Press,, 1939. From the library of Paul Mellon First edition, first printing, inscribed by the author to Paul Mellon, the billionaire philanthropist, on the front free endpaper of vol. I: "To Paul Mellon, [Yale '29 (in different hand)], with sincere good wishes, Charles H. Baker". The present copy is number 381 out of a total edition of 1,250 copies. The highly entertaining account of Charles H. Baker (1895-1987) takes the form of a gastronomic world tour, combining effusive anecdotes with recipes for exotic drinks and dishes. Baker was known as the "Town & Country Gourmet". He was regarded by the Hemingway set as the pinnacle of knowledge in all matters of the good life and by Conde Nast as "a Gilded Age bon vivant who almost singlehandedly imported 'exotic' foreign drinks onto menus across the United States". His recipes were primarily acquired on international assignments for such magazines as Esquire and Gourmet. Provenance: Robert Patterson, who served in the USNR during World War II, with his signed pictorial bookplate on the front pastedowns and an inscription on the front free endpaper of vol. I: "Given to Bob Patterson, Paul's friend and associate on Yale News Board 1929 where he was vice-chair. RP was Asst. Bus. MGR." Two volumes, octavo. Original burgundy cloth-backed boards, spines lettered, ruled, and with publisher's device in gilt, red buckram sides, fore edges uncut. With red card slipcase. Humorous photographic frontispieces to both volumes, title page in orange and black. Ticket of the Sporting Gallery and Bookshop of New York to front pastedown of vol. I. Very light rubbing to extremities, various leaves unopened, entirely fresh within; slight wear, staining, and peeling to slipcase: a fine copy in very good slipcase. Mark Elwood, "Meet Charles H. Baker, Forgotten Cocktail Icon", Conde Naste Traveler, 26 July, 2017.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 169565
- Title
- The Gentleman's Companion.
- Author
- BAKER, Charles H
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- New York: The Derrydale Press,
- Date Published
- 1939
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Buckram
- A plain weave fabric normally made from cotton or linen which is stiffened with starch or other chemicals to cover the book...
- Unopened
- A state in which all or some of the pages of a book have not been separated from the adjacent pages, caused by a traditional...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Device
- Especially for older books, a printer's device refers to an identifying mark, also sometimes called a printer's mark, on the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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