Antique 1920 The Epicurean by Charles Ranhofer Cook Book Deluxe Art Deco Edition For Sale

This is a historic, highly collectible 1920 printing of \"The Epicurean: A Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art\" by master chef Charles Ranhofer. Originally self-published in 1894, this iconic volume serves as the monumental Franco-American culinary encyclopedia capturing the legendary recipes, tables, and grand menu bills of fare from Delmonico\'s Restaurant in New York City (spanning 1862 to 1894).This massive, thick quarto features the striking original navy blue Art Deco cloth cover with gold gilt accents and patterned endpapers. It contains over 3,500 exact recipes alongside 800 detailed technical illustration plates.Condition Report:

• Hinges & Binding: Acceptable / Fair. Given the immense weight of this text block, the interior hinges show notable wear. The front inner hinge has split/cracked down the seam gutter, exposing the netting/webbing beneath (as shown clearly in the photos). The pages remain attached to the core binding structure, but the block is loose from the spine casing at that seam.
• Pages & Text Block: Very clean interior text pages with minimal foxing. No major moisture stains or missing pages observed. Natural uniform age-toning along the outer page edges.
• Cover Cloth: Shows light rubbing along the corners, board edges, and spine head/tail, consistent with a century of careful shelf wear. The front cover gilt lettering remains bright and readable.

A fantastic cornerstone piece for antique cookbook collectors, culinary historians, or professional chefs looking for a rare piece of American culinary history! Ships securely packed to prevent any shifting.