£4,000
° ° Manuscript Cookery Book of Lady Anne Blencowe, (3)pp. index and 34 (ex36)pp. of cookery 'receipts' (apparently in her hand); contemp. blind-panelled vellum, med.8vo., and boldy written 'A Blencowe' within flourishes in central panel of lower cover. (late 17th / early 18th cents.). Anne Blencowe (1656-1718), eldest daughter of the eminent Savillian professor at Oxford, John Wallis, had married Sir John Blencowe (politician and lawyer, of Marston St. Lawrence, Northants) in 1675. In the earlier 20th cent. another of her receipt books came to light, being published in a limited edition (1925) with an introduction by George Saintsbury. The receipts here, generally favouring fruits, puddings and cakes over fish and meat - as did, apparently, the 1694 dated volume - include bisketts, gingerbread, egg cheesecakes, damson or bulace chese, gooseberry vinegar etc.; a few are credited - Lady Probyn's custard pancakes, Mrs Steptoes orange cream, Mrs Barnardistons sago pudding ... It is tempting to suggest that this might be a precursor of the published book, though a connection with a kinswoman, Lady Elizabeth Probyn (5 credits) may point to a later date.
Some cover-discolouration,lacks pp. 17 & 18 (i.e. 2 receipes), some inoffensive soiling, etc., written in a bold and legible hand; 2/3 entries apparently is the hand of (?) contributors, 3 near contemp. leaves (in other hands loosely inserted), text followed by approx. 108pp.(unused).
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