Vintage estate sales can be so bitter-sweet. Last weekend, we went to a local sale at a little house that time literally stood still in. It was very hot outside and even hotter in this very crowded house, so I did not take a lot of time to look around. As it is my habit, I made a bee line to the kitchen to search out the cookbooks, linens and dishware.
What I grabbed first was four of these boxes, each one meticulously labeled and containing hundreds of recipes.
The kitchen was about 8 feet by 10 feet with a stove dating back to the 1950's, a little fridge and barely any counter space to speak of. In addition to these boxes, I found a 1962 copy of the Joy of Cooking with notes inside, and Sicilian Specialties cookbook.
The highlight was definitely the recipe boxes. I learned that the lady of the house, was 91 years old, and the wife of a very well known auctioneer. It amazed me to think that so many of these recipes were executed in this tiny little space.
There are recipes from several decades including the 40's and 50's, up till the 80's. There was a scant 50 or so recipes for vegetables, and many recipes for entrees with meat and fish, but the majority of the recipes were for cakes, cookies, pies and such. Many hand written, many typed, lots and lots of recipes from newspaper and magazine clippings, but the favorite recipes are the ones hand written by others. There is a recipe in a little tiny notebook called a Black Queens Cake that was rewritten on a card, presumably to keep the little book in tact. There is a postcard dated 1951 with a hand written recipe for what appears to be pot roast...apparently, the recipe promised was left out of the letter that had been sent (explained on the postcard), so it was written and mailed separately.
The notes in these boxes are precious, and the story of a Foodies life made clear for posterity. I am pretty sure that this cook liked to entertain, provided sweets for bake sales, and liked Dandelion Wine (there were a few recipes for that). I did not know this woman, but I think that I would have liked her.
This post is being linked to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. I wonder if the woman who put together these boxes of recipes would have enjoyed the Foodie blogs. I wonder whether she would like to know that her hard work and organizational skills are being appreciated today? The 4 boxes will be put up for auction on ebay in the vintage cookbook area on Sunday. They will remain in tact and in order of the way they were found.
♥, Susan
What a wonderful story, Susan! I am so happy you were the one to discover these recipes boxes and that you will auction them as a set to a vintage recipe collector.
It must be so fascinating to read them! It also makes me wonder what will happen to my collection of recipe clippings and printouts one day :-)
Posted by: Pat | July 15, 2010 at 05:56 PM
So glad that you ended up with the recipes! Her collection will live on to inspire others-enjoy! (Oh, and please share along the way:@)
Posted by: [email protected] | July 15, 2010 at 06:14 PM
Lynn, I plan to make copies of these before I pass them on, so I hope to share them.
♥, Susan
Posted by: susan ericson | July 15, 2010 at 06:18 PM
that's awesome! My grandma left behind a box of recipes and that's by far the most treasured item.
Posted by: Wendy (The Local Cook) | July 15, 2010 at 06:30 PM
Ah, this is so neat!
Posted by: nannykim | July 15, 2010 at 07:14 PM
What a facinating post! I think I could have learned a lot from this 91 year old lady. I would have liked her too!
Thanks for sharing the recipes of her life.
Yvonne
Posted by: [email protected] | July 15, 2010 at 07:49 PM
What an incredible find! I have recipes from my great grandmother and grandmother that I appreciate!
Posted by: Alea | July 15, 2010 at 08:36 PM
It's kind of sad, huh? Maybe just because I lost my dad recently. And those file boxes really remind me of my grandmother. I suppose our little notes and recipes will someday make someone else cluck their tongue in reminiscent amusement :-)And so it goes....
Posted by: jen duncan | July 15, 2010 at 10:41 PM
Hey Susan! You really hooked me with the last picture having the card written with "Ozark Pudding". This lady had some midwestern roots as the only Ozarks I know of are in Missouri. In fact I went there on my honeymoon! This reminds me of my grandmother's and mother's recipe boxes. I have a big one of my mom's. Come over for coffee and we'll take a trip through it!
Posted by: AnimalPTsue | July 16, 2010 at 06:24 AM
I will be happy to take you up on that invite Sue....this was a pretty interesting group of recipes.
Posted by: susan ericson | July 16, 2010 at 07:46 AM
Kind of surprises me that a family member wouldn't have taken these and not sold them. Seems like it would have stayed in the family. Oh well. It's like me picking up old photos at the antique mall.
Brenda
Posted by: Brenda Kula | July 16, 2010 at 09:01 AM
Brenda, That is why I would think something like this would be scarce...this is an heirloom.
Posted by: susan ericson | July 16, 2010 at 09:06 AM
What a treasure! It sounds like that recipe collection found a good new home.
Posted by: nancyc | July 16, 2010 at 11:02 AM
Oh how I wish I had kept my mom's box like that and my aunt's too. The notes are just wonderful. It looks just like my family's recipe boxes. What a treasure. I may have to start going to estate sales. I did as a child with my parents and just loved it.
Posted by: Jacqueline | July 16, 2010 at 11:36 AM
My Mom kept a few of those boxes but I have no idea where they ended up??? What a fun find for you.
Posted by: Joyce | July 16, 2010 at 11:57 AM
How very fun! I love that you appreciate the history here. Makes me like you even more!
Becky K.
Posted by: Becky K. | July 17, 2010 at 04:52 AM
What a great find! I would love to have a look through those boxes.
Posted by: Jen_from_NJ | July 17, 2010 at 08:32 AM
You really hit pay dirt there. How great that a foodie like yourself, could come upon that gal's legacy and appreciate it.
Posted by: Kristen | July 17, 2010 at 04:19 PM
Wow! What a great find! You know me I wouldn't be able to get rid of them ;D
Posted by: Melody | July 17, 2010 at 05:47 PM
Oh these are just priceless...coming from someone who's family will find the same thing when I die...but I hope mine get passed on to Miss B and daughter....such history of this women who loved to cook or maybe like me just loved to read recipes and write recipes and make people happy with her baking...
I recently stopped in at an estate sale in NJ of an old neighbor who had died..I found a White House cookbook dated 1923 and that was the reprint date...and after buying it I found out from the person running the sale that some of the stuff in the house was brought in by her and was not my neighbors....I was sad about that but I'm hoping it was really hers....I would have been thrilled to find what you did....Enjoy reading it all...
Posted by: Sue @Rue Mouffetard | July 18, 2010 at 01:57 PM
Sue, its called seeding a sale and I hate when when they do that. It screws up the authenticity that we are looking for. In this case, I just couldnt see these recipe boxes going into the dumpster, and I have really gotten a feel for this lady...I believe she was quite the social butterfly..love reading her comments on the recipes. Hope you are keeping cool down south...its been crazy hot up here in NJ.
Posted by: susan ericson | July 18, 2010 at 02:16 PM
Now that is a really nifty find. How wonderful that you discovered them.
Posted by: Ciaochowlinda | July 24, 2010 at 05:51 PM
This is an incredible find!! I wish more people didn't assume that their grandmother's recipe boxes were too old or stained etc to give to goodwill---honestly---you'd never find these in a thrift shop---only and estate sale and I've never seen anyone post about them before!
Posted by: laura | August 04, 2010 at 08:45 PM