Cups and Their Customs -
George Edwin Roberts
1863 - John Van Vorst, London - First Edition
First edition of this wonderful little work by George Edwin Roberts (1831-65) on ‘Bacchanology’ (his term), penned the same year as the first work on Cocktails was published in America by the great Professor Jerry Thomas, possibly in response to that growing threat to the English way of life.
In the original gilt illustrated boards, with hand coloured wood engraved title page, and wood engraved vignette of drinking skull to last page.
‘a tantalising collection of drinking lore and legend with several dozen recipes for cups and other tasty (or not so tasty) beverages as they were served in the mid-nineteenth century’ [Kalevala, Classic Cocktail Guides]
‘This history of cups and other vessels, the kinds of drinks they contained, and the various customs associated with drinking them, begins with Noah and continues through the Greeks and Romans and on to the middle ages and ‘modern times’. Personalities mentioned in the course of this very interesting commentary include Sir Kenelm Digby (1603-65). It ends with recipes for various “cups” prepared with a variety of ingredients, including honey mixed with herbs and spices (metheglin), ale and apples, punches with oranges, lemons, rum, brandy and green tea, and so on.
One particularly appetising drink, the “Wassail Bowl” (for Christmas Eve) contains beer, sugar, nutmeg, ginger, sherry, and slices of toasted bread floating on top. A typical wine drink is the “Claret Cup” which adds to a bottle of Bordeaux two glasses of sherry, one of Maraschino and some sugar. After icing, add a bottle of soda-water and two sprigs of borage. Since we know that these and similar concoctions are still happily consumed by beautiful people everywhere, we must conclude that they taste much better than they sound and no doubt their after-effects have been artfully neutralised by the judicious use of herbs and spices, from centuries of experience. An enjoyable book for anyone who has ever been happily punch-drunk at least once in his life.’ [Buehler, Viniana] ‘An interesting historical account of drinking vessels and wine drinking throughout the ages. Included is the following reference to the qualities that distinguish a good wine in the 12th century:
“It should be clear like the tears of a penitent, so that a man may see distinctly to the bottom of the glass; its colour should represent the greenness of a buffalo’s horn; when drunk, it should descend impetuously like thunder; sweet-tasted as an almond; creeping like a squire;;; leaping like a roebuck; strong like the building of a Cistercian monastery; glittering like a spark of fire; subtle like the logic of the schools of Paris; delicate as fine silk; and colder than crystal”
Unfortunately, we are not told the name of this extraordinary wine.’ [Gabler, Wine into Words]
Provenance: Contemporary signature of George C. Bayliss to the front free endpaper.
Reference: Gabler, Wine into Words, G34380. Cagle, A Matter of Taste, 963. Kalevala Books, Classic Cocktail Guides and Retro Bartender Books. Eberhard Buehler, Viniana, G55.
Small thin octavo (book size 19.7x13.1cm), pp. [1 (publisher’s ads)] [1] [2 (illustrated title page)] vi 52, 16 (publisher’s ‘Catalogue of Books’ dated January, 1863). In publisher’s black glazed boards with gilt lettering and an illustration duplicating that of the title page on both front and rear boards, pale yellow coated endpapers, spine neatly re-backed to match. Condition: Near fine, very faint spotting to first few pages, original tissue guard browned, in very good boards, rubbing to gilt, neatly re-backed to match. Ref: 111396 Price: HK$ 5,000
In the original gilt illustrated boards, with hand coloured wood engraved title page, and wood engraved vignette of drinking skull to last page.
‘a tantalising collection of drinking lore and legend with several dozen recipes for cups and other tasty (or not so tasty) beverages as they were served in the mid-nineteenth century’ [Kalevala, Classic Cocktail Guides]
‘This history of cups and other vessels, the kinds of drinks they contained, and the various customs associated with drinking them, begins with Noah and continues through the Greeks and Romans and on to the middle ages and ‘modern times’. Personalities mentioned in the course of this very interesting commentary include Sir Kenelm Digby (1603-65). It ends with recipes for various “cups” prepared with a variety of ingredients, including honey mixed with herbs and spices (metheglin), ale and apples, punches with oranges, lemons, rum, brandy and green tea, and so on.
One particularly appetising drink, the “Wassail Bowl” (for Christmas Eve) contains beer, sugar, nutmeg, ginger, sherry, and slices of toasted bread floating on top. A typical wine drink is the “Claret Cup” which adds to a bottle of Bordeaux two glasses of sherry, one of Maraschino and some sugar. After icing, add a bottle of soda-water and two sprigs of borage. Since we know that these and similar concoctions are still happily consumed by beautiful people everywhere, we must conclude that they taste much better than they sound and no doubt their after-effects have been artfully neutralised by the judicious use of herbs and spices, from centuries of experience. An enjoyable book for anyone who has ever been happily punch-drunk at least once in his life.’ [Buehler, Viniana] ‘An interesting historical account of drinking vessels and wine drinking throughout the ages. Included is the following reference to the qualities that distinguish a good wine in the 12th century:
“It should be clear like the tears of a penitent, so that a man may see distinctly to the bottom of the glass; its colour should represent the greenness of a buffalo’s horn; when drunk, it should descend impetuously like thunder; sweet-tasted as an almond; creeping like a squire;;; leaping like a roebuck; strong like the building of a Cistercian monastery; glittering like a spark of fire; subtle like the logic of the schools of Paris; delicate as fine silk; and colder than crystal”
Unfortunately, we are not told the name of this extraordinary wine.’ [Gabler, Wine into Words]
Provenance: Contemporary signature of George C. Bayliss to the front free endpaper.
Reference: Gabler, Wine into Words, G34380. Cagle, A Matter of Taste, 963. Kalevala Books, Classic Cocktail Guides and Retro Bartender Books. Eberhard Buehler, Viniana, G55.
Small thin octavo (book size 19.7x13.1cm), pp. [1 (publisher’s ads)] [1] [2 (illustrated title page)] vi 52, 16 (publisher’s ‘Catalogue of Books’ dated January, 1863). In publisher’s black glazed boards with gilt lettering and an illustration duplicating that of the title page on both front and rear boards, pale yellow coated endpapers, spine neatly re-backed to match. Condition: Near fine, very faint spotting to first few pages, original tissue guard browned, in very good boards, rubbing to gilt, neatly re-backed to match. Ref: 111396 Price: HK$ 5,000