The Library of Virginia Cookbook Collection

Abstract

My obsession with collecting cookbooks for the Library of Virginia began after a very savvy book dealer offered me a collection of Virginia cookbooks of “genealogical significance and import.” The fellow is a very good salesman and made a convincing argument, but his prices were more than I wanted to pay. He did, however, inspire me to begin looking for cookbooks in the aforementioned thrift stores and estate sales, where I usually pay from fifty cents to a couple of dollars for a book. Once in a while I am tempted to pay retail for a particularly good regional cookbook or a very unusual collective work. But usually I spend no more than $5. I seldom spend Library funds for cookbooks, but there are exceptions. For example, a few months ago a rare book dealer “offered” the Library a copy of the 1921 Hampton Institute cookbook, A Book of Recipes for the Cooking School, by Carrie Alberta Lyford, for about $275. However, after a bit of research I discovered that very edition still available at the Hampton Museum for $40. I’m sure the dealer’s copy has character, but the Library was able to acquire a pristine example for a very reasonable price. Considering fewer than 25 OCLC libraries hold the book, it can be considered scarce (though perhaps not rare).