This is an original 1862 edition of The Wife’s Own Book of Cookery, published by Houlston and Wright in London. Featuring 250 detailed engravings, this mid-19th century English cookbook offers a fascinating glimpse into Victorian domestic life, from recipes and table settings to household management. It stands as both a culinary reference and a cultural artifact from a period when home cookery was becoming a refined art.

The book’s cover features an embossed gold design with the Latin motto “Ad Escam et Usum” (“For Food and Use”). The binding shows significant wear along the spine, with the leather cracked and partially detached. The boards are rubbed and discolored from age. Inside, the pages show toning, foxing, and some moisture stains, particularly along the edges. Despite these flaws, the text and illustrations remain legible, including charming engravings of kitchen scenes and cuts of meat.

A desirable collectible for lovers of antique cookbooks, culinary historians, or those interested in Victorian-era household literature.