Cookbook Collecting

I once knew a girl who scoured garage sales and thrift shops for old cookbooks to cut up and turn into works of art. 

You know-printed paper collages pasted to the odd object to produce a sculpture creation; lamps, book covers, Styrofoam heads, vases and such.  Her creations were interesting, but nowhere great.  None of them were worth the slaughter and butchery of cookbooks published prior to 1970.  This, in fact, is my field of attention as a serious cookbook collector.  What my friend did to old cookbooks and how it affected me can be compared to cultures that hold animals to a higher standard than food on a plate.

So, join me as I rescue old cookbooks from those who do not appreciate them. 

Your parents and grandparents probably have a few pre-1970 cookbooks.  They may even have some they inherited from your great-grandmother.  Pay attention at used book stores, flea markets, antique shops, thrift stores and at garage sales.  There are some wonderful vintage cookbook stores that have websites.  And don’t forget about good ole Amazon.com and similar shopping sites.  Just about every vintage cookbook I have gone looking for has been found on the Amazon site. 

There are several sites that have been around for a while and are a great source for tracking down a desired title. 

Take a look at:  AbeBooks/Etsy/Thriftbooks/Biblio/Ebay/Pinterest.  Check them out.

Keep in mind, whenever confronted by shelves and stacks of cookbooks, scan the group for the old ones. 

They’ll be the ones missing their dust jackets.  Nor do they count on splashy photography to sell themselves.  And, don’t forget about those little cook booklets that manufacturers and extension services published.  You can also get caught up in the spiral-bound community recipe collection books.  They are usually published by churches, junior leagues, homecoming and other community events.  Here are just a few Blogs that might help and entertain you as the pursuit of some special cookbook keeps you searching.