Food and Drink from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books

For those who prefer drink to food, item 70 is A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine... by William Speechly. The book has been described as a “practical, well-written and beautifully printed manual.” Speechly was the gardener for the Third Duke of Portland. The Third Duke inherited a whole lot of stuff, and also served as Prime Minister and Chancellor at Oxford, the latter two flowing from the first. He also encouraged his talented gardener to write a book, with the result this book, which covers 50 species of grapes. Offered is a 1790 first edition, the book having been reprinted twice in the 19^th century. £1,750 (US $2,823).

Item 40 is an unusual book. It is The Book of Bread, by Owen Simmons, published in 1903. It has been described as, “An extraordinary, obsessive monograph on bread, and a masterpiece of unintentional photographic art...” Simmons commissioned a series of large photographs of bread, not realizing they would be perceived as works of art. See the picture on this page for an example. £900 (US $1,452).

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books may be reached at 020 8354 7365 or sophie@ssrbooks.com. Their website is www.ssrbooks.com.