Charity shop find: vintage cookery books

I spent a few hours on Saturday morning rummaging through my local charity shops and came across these great books.

In my continuing quest to learn vintage skills, I’m always on the lookout for cooking / gardening / beauty / household books from pre-1950.  I asked at my local Oxfam bookshop, and they had just received these cookery books which they sold to me for £2 each.  Bargain!

“Instruction in Cookery: Cookery book and general axioms for plain cookery” was published in 1890.  It’s filled with handwritten notes by the original owner, and even some magazine clippings!

“Sweet making for every woman” is from 1936 and is filled with recipes to make candies and confections.

The UK has a great charity shop culture – the closest thing we had in the US is the Goodwill store.  The difference is that UK charity shops are smaller, and everywhere – with lots of them to choose from depending on which charity you want to support, or which product they specialize in.  (For example, I have several Oxfam charity shops near me – one is a general store, one is for music and one is for books).

When I have time and am in a hunting mood, other great sources for vintage finds are flea markets, garage/yard/boot sales and estate sales.  And if you’re really lucky, an older friend/relative will let you know when they’re cleaning out their basement or attic, and let you have first pick!

What’s your best second-hand find?

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