Almanach des Gourmands
PRICE
$1200 AUD
DE LA REYNIERE, Grimod [Alexandre Balthazar Laurent (1758 - 1838)]
Almanach des Gourmands
Paris: Chez Maradan, 1804 - 1805
Originally a successful theatre critic, de la Reyniere was 'encouraged' in the late 18th century by The Directorate to stop using theatrical reviews to criticise the State and to write about something 'harmless or not at all'. de la Reyniere turned to his other love – food. Some years later, whilst dining with the publisher Marand, he hit upon the idea of the Almanach.
With Marand's encouragement, he took just 25 days to write the first volume of the Almanach in 1803. After the success of the first volume, he established a 'Jury Degustation' comprising a select number of gourmands who met in some secrecy (in all some 465 times over the next 8 years) to taste, consider and evaluate dishes submitted by caterers, restaurateurs, and the public alike. A precursor of things to come, dishes were served without servants and 'a la russe’. *
Each volume of Almanach des Gourmands consisted of a series of articles on food and foodstuffs, gastronomic articles and a guide to the restaurants and providores of Paris, an early forerunner of the food, shopping, and restaurant guides of the late 20th century.
Although there are 8 volumes of Almanach des Gourmands published between 1803 and 1812, this three-volume set is a complete set of the volumes available to purchase in 1806.
All three volumes bear the armorial bookplate of Henry Peters, Esq on the front paste-down. Henry Peters (1762-1827) was an extremely wealthy banker (a partner in Masterman & Co) and the son of George Peters, ex-Governor of the Bank of England. He was the Mayor of Teddington, the MP for Oxford from 1796-1802, from 1798 the owner of Betchworth Castle in Surrey and a patron of the architect John Soanes who undertook significant works for Peters in both London and Surrey. In 1806, Soanes extensively remodelled Peters' London townhouse. It is not hard to speculate that during this time Peters sojourned in Paris, dining out with the assistance of these volumes; particularly given their uniform contemporary binding; and were the only volumes published and available for purchase at this time.
Volume 1: Premiere Annee, Troiseme Edition
Chez Maradan, Libraire, rue Pavee-Saint-Andre-des-Ares, no 16. AN XII - 1804.
16mo (135x90mm) half bound green leather over red and green marbled boards; spine gilt lettered; red and green marbled edges; [4 blank], half-title, xviii (including frontispiece), 280, [1], [5 blank] pp. Engraved frontispiece 'Bibliotheque d'un Gourmand du XIX siecle' by the author, drawn by 'N' [the painter Neveu] and engraved by 'M'.
Light foxing to prelims and occasionally throughout; 3cm tear to p.55 not affecting text, p101-104 bound adjacent out of sequence. Corners bruised, edges worn and rubbed, boards lightly soiled and sunned. Text and binding tight and clean.
Volume 2: Seconde Annee, Seconde Edition
De l'imprimerie de Cellot. Chez Maradan, Libraire, rue des Grands-Augustins, no 29. AN XIII - 1805.
16mo (135x90mm) half bound green leather over red and green marbled boards; spine gilt lettered; red and green marbled edges; [4 blank], half-title, [1], [1 blank], frontispiece, titlepage, [1], xxii, [1], 24-306, [4 blank] pp. Engraved frontispiece 'Les audiences d'un Gourmand' by the author, drawn by Dunant and engraved by Mariage. Original marker ribbon.
Light foxing to prelims and occasionally throughout; small loss to edges pps 25, 35, and 97, not affecting text. Corners bruised, edges worn and rubbed, boards lightly soiled and sunned. Text and binding tight and clean.
Volume 3: Troiseme Annee, [Premiere Edition]
De l'imprimerie de Cellot. Chez Maradan, Libraire, rue des Grands-Augustins, no 29. AN XIII - 1805.
16mo (135x90mm) half bound green leather over red and green marbled boards; spine gilt lettered; red and green marbled edges; [4 blank], half-title, [1], [1 blank], frontispiece, titlepage, [1], v-xiv, [1], 336, [4 blank] pp. Engraved frontispiece 'Seance d'un Jury de Gourmands degustateurs' by the author, drawn by Dunant and engraved by Maradan. Original marker ribbon present but not attached.
Light foxing to prelims and occasionally throughout; small loss to edges pps 61, 68, 143, 164, 217, 233, 245, and 251, not affecting text. Corners bruised, edges worn and rubbed, boards lightly soiled and sunned. Text and binding tight and clean.
A nice early set. In French
Bitting 201ff; Vicaire 424-425; Oberle 133; Simon cf 795-799; Cagle 'A Matter of Taste' cf 224-226; * A Palate in Revolution by Giles MacDonagh pps 63-70.
