Here at The Center, we deal with a wide variety of pieces: museum acquisitions, historical artifacts, contemporary collections – but sometimes the most special projects are the ones focused on family heirlooms. A recipe book we recently had the honor of treating is the perfect example: deeply sentimental, an homage to past generations’ day-to-day lives, and in need of preservation for future generations’ continued enjoyment. This book came to us from a family eager to explore its origins, once belonging to a (perhaps great) grandmother from England.
The book, prior to receiving treatment.
“I started a family cookbook a few years back for my kids,” said our client, before sending the book to us for treatment. “A couple of years ago my Mum mentioned that my Grandmother (on my Fathers side) had written a family cookbook. However, after many searches, she couldn't find it. Unfortunately, my Mother passed away last year and I didn't give the cookbook another thought, thinking it was long gone. A couple of months after Mum’s passing my sister visited and handed me a brown paper bag. She wanted me to have the contents. The bag got forgotten during her visit until I came across it a week or so later. Much to my delight (and tears), there was my Grandmother's cookbook inside.
The pages were so delicate I hated to touch them. I managed to look at a few pages saw that my (now 93 years old) Father had as a little boy written his name over the pages in crayon. The book took on a new meaning for me. My father knew nothing about the cookbook (until my sister gave it to me.) He can't believe that his mother would have ever written a cookbook, so there is a possibility that it could in fact be my Great Grandmother’s cookbook. I am British living here in the States. My Dad still lives in England so I am dying to send him a sample of the writing so he can put to rest who exactly did write the recipes and more excitingly how old it could actually be.”
Our client’s father’s signature as a young boy is visible inside the recipe book.
The nature of a recipe book isn’t to be treated exactly like an archival item – they’re taken out when cooking, scribbled on and annotated, added to overtime, dusted accidentally with flour. When this book came to our Paper Conservators, it was no surprise that it needed a little extra care. At the time of examination, the piece exhibited surface soil throughout, the sewing and inner hinges were broken, and the pages had become discolored and brittle with age. There were a few loose pages in the textblock, and the cover was soiled and exhibited abrasions, losses, and delamination, as well as tears at the head and tail of the spine. Our conservators knew how precious this book was to our client’s family, and were ready to get to work.
First, the book was surface cleaned using appropriate conservation methods and materials and treated with a deacidification spray to help slow future degradation. Then, the spine was lined and inner hinges were added before tears on the spine were repaired. Finally, the loose pages were hinged back into the textblock.
The book, repaired and stabilized after treatment.
“I am really grateful that The Center worked with me on the pricing, without that the book would never have been restored. I can't wait to try some of the old British recipes and see just how my Grandmother/Great Grandmother liked to cook and to enjoy seeing my 93-year-old Dad as a little boy even if it is on paper,” said our client.
We’re happy to have been able to help this family preserve their recipe book for years to come, and invite you to read some of these beautifully scripted dishes for yourself!
“Pea or Lentil Soup”
“Mincemeat” and ‘Marmalade Orange”
“Orange Sponge”
“Ginger Pudding,” “Horse Radish Leaves,” and “Ground Rice Mould”
