Cole & Contreras / Sylvan Cole Gallery Archives

Histoire de la Vie Privee des Francais, depuis l’origine de la Nation jusqu’a nos jours

Three volumes, complete. FIRST EDITION of this scholarly, encyclopedic, and highly entertaining history of French gastronomy. XIII, (3), 373, (1); (4), 383, (1); (4), 363, (1). Half-titles present (they are often missing). The author originally set out to write an extensive work covering all facets of private life in France, but only this first part--which covers everything related to cooking, wine, eating, and hunting--was published. Discusses the origins of cooking tools and techniques, the provenance of all kinds of foods (including, of course, foodstuffs that came from the New World), and much more, including an extensive section on hunting. A classic. PRINTED ON FINE LAID PAPER. 8vo. ELEGANTLY BOUND IN FULL CONTEMPORARY SPECKLED CALF, SPINE GILT IN SEVEN COMPARTMENTS. Minimal traces of wear to bindings, else a fine and bright copy with very large margins and very white paper. Vicaire 510 ("Ouvrage tres interessant et tres utile."); Bitting 280 ("This is one of the finest works upon the social life of the French people."); Thiebaud 576. AN OUTSTANDING SET OF A RARE AND IMPORTANT WORK.