Gandhi’s sandals with ‘special heel’ to heighten 5ft 4in hero emerge for sale
A pair of Gandhi’s sandals from the 1920s that were given by the great holy man to a friend are expected to fetch more than £15,000 at UK auction Mullock's in Shropshire.
This iconic footwear has a half-inch heel, which would have boosted the diminutive peace activist's 5ft 4inch frame.
The size eight sandals, said to be worth £15,000, form part of a £250,000 archive of material relating to the Indian hero that is being sold.
Other lots include a shawl, hand-woven by thread that Gandhi spun himself, his bedsheet, prayer beads and photographs.
There are also three of Gandhi’s delicately carved miniature figures depicting the wise monkeys; speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil.
Gandhi gave many of the items to a close friend in 1924 when he was living at Palm Bun at Juhu in Maharashtra, India. They have been passed down the friend's family over the years who have now decided to sell the collection.
Richard Westwood-Brookes, the expert from Mullock’s, said: 'There is a huge collection of Gandhi material in the sale.
'It includes his leather sandals which really are iconic and were given to a friend in 1924.
'They are not in the best condition, but that doesn’t really matter to serious collectors.
'We have grown a reputation for selling items of Indian origin in recent years, and buyers come from around the world.
'Items that belonged to Gandhi are accorded great significance and status by many people in India and beyond.
'They are treated often has holy relics and the market is growing, particularly in the US, as well as in India.
'Other items in the sale in include many photographs and even his prayer beads.
'Among the photographs is one showing him in a smart suit and carrying a hat from when he worked in the legal profession - as far removed from his usual image as it is possible to get.'
Not only are the sandals part of the famous image of the Gandhi, along with his spectacles and loin cloth, but they have spawned a phrase.
‘Gandhi’s flip-flop’ entered the lexicon to describe a dry mouth the night after drinking heavily.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - known as Mahatma Gandhi - was the leader of Indian nationalism and was famous for using non-violent civil disobedience.
He lived modestly and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with yarn he had hand spun on a charkha.
Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 by Nathuram Godse who thought he was too sympathetic to India’s Muslims.
The auction takes place on May 21, with the catalogue viewable on UKauctioneers.com
SOURCE: MAIL ONLINE
The Antiques of America
We often refer to antiques as Edwardian, Victorian, Georgian, etc. but how do Americans refer to their antiques?
American antiques have well established styles. In the early years, they tended to contrast with more ornate European styles, but eventually came to reflect and influence those across the Atlantic.
American antiques dates from the late Gothic period (1550-1625); in Europe this style was inspired by Roman architecture and was characterised by decorative panels and indigenous woods.
In America, this is usually called Early Colonial or Early American (1565-1700) and tended to be simpler and more rustic.
The period is divided into the Oak Age (1540-1660), Elizabethan (1558-1603). American Colonial (1600-1690) and Pilgrim Century (1600-1690)
Baroque (1620-1715) in Western Europe was characterised by ornate twisted columns and heavy moldings inspired by the Roman Catholic Church.
Comparable American antiques from the Pilgrim Century were far more austere and simple in style. This period encompasses Puritan (1645-1670) Pennsylvania Dutch (1670-1820) and Dutch Colonial (1694-1702).
The French-influenced Rococco in Europe (1695-1760) was a lighter version of Baroque.
This contrasted with Anglo-German styles favoured in America: William and Mary (1700-1725), Queen Anne (1720-1750), and Pennsylvania German (1720-1850). The Neo-Classical movement (1755-1830) in Europe saw the emergence of slender, less ornate styles and this was suited to the American style.
From this time on, American antiques began to mirror European styles – and also to influence the European market.
Americans readily adopted Chippendale (1755-1790) Hepplewhite and Sheraton (1790-1820), but also created new styles such as Shaker (1775-1870), the sharply geometric Federal styles (1780-1830) and neo-classicist Duncan Phyfe (1800-1850)
From this time on, European and American styles are practically the same: American antiques dealers refer to Victorian (1830-1880), Arts & Craft (1880-1900), Art Noveau (1900-1930) and Art Deco (1920-1930) just as we do.
Courtesy of Paul Sollom, Walsall, West Midlands. Source: Daily Mail April 6th 2013
‘stolen’ ancient Hopi Native American masks to go on sale in France despite tribal demands for return
A Paris court ruled Friday in favor of a French auction house that plans to sell dozens of Native American tribal masks despite pleas from Arizona’s Hopi people, friends to the tribe like actor Robert Redford, and even from the U.S. government.
After a saga that began around a century ago, these intricate masks—which are fed and nurtured by the Hopi like the living dead—will be auctioned off to the highest bidder worlds away from where they began their journey in the deserts of Arizona.
The potentially landmark decision with transatlantic repercussions means the sale can go ahead at Drouot auction house Friday afternoon, giving a rare glimpse of the ornate masks and headdresses to the European crowd.
Scroll down for video
The Hopi Indians insist the masks, known as 'katsinam' are spiritual vessels that date back to the late 19th century and early 20th century were stolen from a northern Arizona reservation in the 1930s and 1940s.
Numbering nearly 20,000, many remaining Hopi still lead a traditional way of life on three isolated Arizona mesas and believe the masks carry with them the spirit of divine messenger.
The auctioneer argued that blocking the sale would have tremendous implications and potentially force French museums to empty their collections
‘This decision is very disappointing since the masks will be sold and dispersed,’ said the tribe's French lawyer, Pierre Servan-Schreiber, outside the courtroom.
‘The Hopi tribe will be extremely saddened by the decision,’ he said. ‘Especially since the judgment recognizes that these masks have a sacred value. The judge considers that the imminent damage (to the masks) is not sufficiently strong.’
Sacred: The antique masks like the 'Hemiskatsinmana,' left, and 'Angwusnasomtaqa,' right, will be auctioned off Friday afternoon in Paris, worlds away from their Arizona origins, where the Hopi say they were stolen in the 1930s and 1940s
American ambassador to France Charles Rivkin expressed his disappointment over Friday’s ruling after writing a letter to the French government Thursday that urged the sale be suspended due to the ‘importance of these sacred objects to the Hopi Nation.’
The Hopis' lawyers have filed a request with the Council of Sales, the French auction market authority, to suspend the sale, he added.
A spokeswoman for the Council of Sales declined immediate comment.
Gilles Neret-Minet, of the Neret-Minet Tessier & Sarrou auction house behind the auction, said he would stop short of any triumphalism over the ruling, ‘but I'm happy that French law was respected.’
‘I am also very concerned about the Hopis' sadness, but you cannot break property law,’ he said. ‘These are in (private) collections in Europe: they are no longer sacred.’
Neret-Minet said the auction house has received ‘serious threats’ ahead of the auction.
Last week, in an interview with Indian Country Today Media Network, Neret-Minet was emphatic in his belief that the objects' meaning had little sway for him or France.
'France is a country of rights! All the mail in the world will not change anything,' he said. 'Those masks are only sacred when used in a dance. They are not sacred afterward.'
The 70 objects, mainly Hopi, went on display at Druout for the first time as the court battle kicked off Thursday.
Unheeded: Outcries over the sale of the masks (pictured are the 'Sio Hemis Cachina,' left, and 'Tasavu,' right) were heard Thursday and Friday from the U.S. ambassador to France, two American museums, as well as the Hopi people
The masks are undoubtedly striking — surreal faces made from wood, leather, horse hair and feathers — and painted in vivid pigments of red, blue, yellow and orange. Hopi representatives contend the items were stolen at some point, and wanted the auction house to prove otherwise. They say the masks have a special status and are more than art, representing their dead ancestors' spirits.
Disputes over art ownership, demands for restitution, and arguments over whether sacred objects should be sold are nothing new.
Take the continuing row between the British Museum and Greece over the Elgin marbles, which Scottish diplomat Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon in the 19th century. Greece wants them back; but opponents fear that would open the floodgates, forcing Western museums to send home thousands of artifacts.
Elvis record proves a hit at Dublin auction
Original recording of ‘That’s All Right’ sells for €64,000
A demo acetate record of Elvis singing That’s All Right, produced by Sam Philips for Memphis Recording Service, is shown at Whyte’s auction at the RDS in Dublin yesterday. It sold for ¤64,000. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
The Minerva suite at the RDS was packed today for the first ever Irish and international pop and rock memorabilia auction, held by Whyte’s auctioneers.
The 200-lot auction spanned 60 years of international and Irish pop and rock ’n’ roll, and included items from the Beatles, Buddy Holly, Van Morrison and U2. The star item was an original acetate record of That’s All Right recorded by Elvis Presley which had an estimate of €50,000-€70,000.
As the bidding started at €44,000, bidders online and in the room upped the ante. The gavel was struck as the record went for €64,000 to an anonymous online bidder. Auctioneer Ian Whyte said the buyer would not disclose themselves but that it may have been an Irish buyer bidding on behalf of an overseas bidder.
There were gasps in the room when a rare poster for a cancelled Dublin Nirvana concert sold for €1,300, five times its original estimate. The concert was due to take place on April 8th, 1994, the day lead singer Kurt Cobain died.
John Mallon from Monaghan had come up specially for the auction and was on the lookout for vinyl records. “It amazes me that people are interested in things that are signed, or autographs. I prefer music or old records. However, I really wanted the set of autographs signed by the Beatles on an old Aer Lingus dinner menu because it’s a great example of 1960s graphic design.”
Andrew Mason from Bray was eager to pick up a collection of Van Morrison vinyl LPs. He and his group of six friends like to collect antiques and collectible items from the 1950s and 1960s. “I’m a life-long fan. Van Morrison is my teacher in life, his lyrics really speak to me.”
Ollie Grimes from Skerries was delighted with his collection of items which he bought for his retro-style pub, the Snug in Skerries.
“It was great to get my hands on all this memorabilia because we’re a real music pub. I picked up items from Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and U2. My favourite has to be the Island Records promotional card signed by all the members of U2 that dates from 1982. ”
Mr Grimes said he was disappointed to have been outbid for some of the items. “I really wanted the Michael Jackson poster from when he played Cork in 1988. It was valued at around €500. I bid €1,500, but it went for €1,600.”
Mr Whyte said it was “one of the most fun auctions” they ever held. “Prices were great across the board and we got a great price for the Elvis Presley record. We’re not sure where it went as it was a mystery buyer on the internet but I have a funny feeling it might be someone Irish.”
Mr Whyte said the auction attracted huge interest from online international bidders. “We had bidders from Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, The UK, United Arab Emirates, France, Norway, Greece, Luxembourg, the US, Spain and even as far afield as Kazakhstan. ”
There were 350 active bidders for the auction, 200 of whom were online.
Source: The Irish Times
1,000-year-old Chinese dish bought for $3 sells for $2.22MILLION
A rare Chinese bowl bought at a yard sale for $3 has sold at a New York auction for more than $2.22 million.
The 1,000-year-old bowl was sold as part of the opening session of Sotheby's fine Chinese ceramics and works of art auction on Tuesday.
Sotheby's says it was sold to a London dealer for $2.225 million, far above the pre-sale estimate of $200,000 to $300,000.
The bowl is from the Northern Song Dynasty. The person who put the bowl up for auction bought it in 2007 and had it displayed in their living room for several years.
They only discovered it was valuable after becoming curious about its origins and having it examined. The bowl is five inches in diameter.
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279 - and was divided into two distinct periods: the Northern Song and Southern Song.
Items made during the period are noted for their glazes and simplicity. Decoration is relatively rare - but where used can be incised, molded, impressed, or carved.
Sale: The bowl was sold at Sotherby's in New York for far more than the £200,000 to $300,000 estimated
Diana’s ‘Travolta’ dress, a £240k surprise for a very lucky wife
It was the dress in which Princess Diana captivated America – and John Travolta.
And this morning the midnight-blue velvet evening gown will be captivating a new owner, whose husband bought it for her as a surprise.
He paid £240,000 for the off-the-shoulder velvet Victor Edelstein dress, which was among ten of the princess’s dresses auctioned yesterday for almost £900,000.
Bidders from Asia, the US, Europe and Australia competed at a London auction house to buy what were described as a ‘slice of history’.
Under the hammer: Bidding begins at Kerry Taylor Auctions in London
Memorable: Diana fans David Jones and Margaret Tyler watch the sale unfold
The Princess of Wales dancing with John Travolta at the White House in November 1985Pensioner, 89, sells collection of 30 dolls’ houses and their tiny contents from across the world
An astonishing collection of 30 unique doll houses from around the world are being put up for auction by the 89-year-old pensioner who has spent her life collecting them.
Nora Boll was just two-years-old when her mother bought her first dolls house in 1925.
Since then, Mrs Boll has spent her life building on her collection and filling her houses with pieces from all over the world.
Talk about down-sizing: Auctioneer John Anderson holds up one of the dolls house in the collection owned by Nora Boll
Life-long passion: Pensioner Nora Boll has spent her life collecting the miniature homes after her mother bought her a dolls house in 1925 when she was just two-years-old
For sale: Nora Bell's collection - which includes furniture pieces from around the world - will be sold at auction
Her collection totals around 30 doll houses filled with everything from tiny chandeliers and silk curtains made from parachutes, to minute toilet rolls and even a toilet brush.
Mrs Boll picked up the unique miniature furniture items from various countries including Japan, Switzerland and Yugoslavia, as well as from fairs, junk shops and gypsy markets while on her holidays.
She also picked up pieces from auctions and fairs, including Swiss Lundy furniture, which kitted out an entire house.
Now the unique collection of houses will go under the hammer at the Newcastle salerooms of Anderson & Garland, though it is so large that it will be split across two separate auctions, the first of which is being held tomorrow while the second will be a fortnight later.
The sale will also include hundreds of pieces of furniture.
Mrs Bell's mother bought her first second-hand dolls house with furniture in 1925 when Nora was just two and they lived in Elswick, Newcastle.
This was joiner-made and made around 1910 - meaning it has survived two world wars.
Over time the collection grew and they would buy from different shops, including a toy shop in Newcastle called Alfreds, where they would pick up furniture.
The hobby stopped however when Mrs Bell's mother died at the beginning of World War II and everything in the house was split up.
Fortunately, Mrs Boll's brother kept on to the house and a box of furniture to be passed on to Mrs Bell after the war and she picked up the hobby again after retiring as a physiotherapist.
One of her favourite purchases was the house made up entirely with Swiss Lundy furniture which has three tiers to it - each one has a different type of painted furniture on it.
She also loved the largest house which was bought at Featonby's and can be accessed from the front and back.
The furniture from that particular house was made around the 1940s with the curtains made up of parachute material.
Peek-a-boo: The houses are kitted out with everything from fireplaces to sofas as well as miniature occupants
Unique: Mrs Boll found many of the miniature house items at fairs, junk shops and gypsy markets around the world
Mrs Boll would love the dolls houses to either go to a museum or someone who will cherish them like she has.
She couldn't ever afford to buy a lot in one go and so she painstakingly collected piece by piece over time and looked after them with love and care.
John Anderson, of Anderson & Garland, said dolls houses are still popular collectors items today.
He added: 'There is something of a cult hobby based on dolls' houses and furniture.
'Modern dolls' houses are to the same scale and there are small specialist makers turning out items such as chandeliers and grandfather clocks. It is a cottage industry.
'It appeals to people who can't furnish a Grand Designs dream home but they can do it in miniature.
'But the dolls' houses in this collection are to different scales.
For future generations: Mrs Boll hopes her collection with be bought by fellow doll house lovers or a museum
'Some items of dolls' house furniture can be expensive and it has happened that we have sold some which has fetched a higher price than the real life-size equivalent items.'
Alex Kingsley, PR consultant for Anderson & Garland, added: 'There has been a lot of interest already.
'It is such a unique collection. It includes stuff from Japan, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. It's quite an interesting collection.
'I've never seen one so big and to come from an old house in Heaton it's quite bizarre.
'It can be collectors who are interested in this sort of thing. A lot of people collect dolls houses and have quite big collections.
Getting a closer look: John Anderson inspects the dolls houses ahead of the first auction lot tomorrow
'A lot of the time people have collected them when they were young and are still interested when they are retired.
'Also a lot of the time people buy them who want to live in a dream house themselves but can't afford it.
'Those people will often buy expensive things for dolls houses, like a crystal chandelier because they can't afford a real one, people enjoy that.
'I think they will go for quite a lot. Some of the things are really rare and so old they should go for quite a bit.
'It is nice for the old lady who they belonged to.'
Building a dream house: The auctioneers say doll house collecting is still very popular today
Caring for Antiques – Part 6 – Looking After Timepieces, Precision Instruments and Mechanical Toys
Delicate instruments require delicate treatment – all too often these objects suffer through thoughtless display and over-enthusiastic handling.
This brass carriage clock should be carefully looked after
Clocks, scientific instruments, musical boxes and automata are likely to be harmed if subjected to direct sunlight, extremes of temperature or damp. A common, but one of the worst places for a clock is over a working fireplace. Dust may clog sliding or moving parts of scientific instruments and mechanical items, so keep these is a box or display cabinet when they are not in use. Movement can affect the working of mechanisms too; longcase clocks and wall-hung instruments , for example, should be screwed to a wall or onto a solid wooden wall bracket or mount.
Before moving a mechanical object, check that there are no detachable parts; do not rely on handles, but hold the object with both hands under its base. Secure the pendulum of a spring clock by the clip or screw clamp found on many English bracket and mantel clocks; otherwise, remove the pendulum and use folded paper to wedge the ticking ‘crutch piece’ firm. On a longcase or other weight-driven clock, remove weights and pendulum, and ‘take down’ the clock by separating case, hood and movement. If a mechanism is set in motion while being moved, let it run down completely.
Mercury barometers should be moved with special care, and kept upright in transit; if the mercury moves suddenly its weight could shatter the glass tube. On a stick barometer, turn the little key square at the base until the column of mercury reaches the top of the tube. Wheel (banjo) barometers must be ‘corked’ by a specialist before being moved.
Winding
With longcase clocks, if you go away for longer than the next due winding, stop the clock to avoid damage to the escapement when it winds down. It should be impossible to over-wind a mechanism; simply turn the key firmly to the point of resistance. Always use the correct key for the item, and make sure it is not warped, rusty, worn or split. To adjust the minute hand of a clock, gently turn the hands clockwise (never anti-clockwise) with your fingertips. If the hands jam, move the minute hand back a fraction but never back past the hour. If this does not free them, leave the job to a clockmaker.
Cleaning
A photographer’s soft-bristled brush with built-in puffer is ideal for dusting lenses and delicate or intricate surfaces; less fragile surfaces can be wiped with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Avoid metal polishes which may seep into the movement or destroy a valuable patina such as that of a brass carriage clock. For stubborn marks on a glass face, use cotton wool dampened in a mild detergent solution or methylated spirits. Rinse with damp cotton wool and buff gently dry with a chamois leather.Major cleaning of parts, especially if dismantling is involved, should be left to a specialist. Even oiling the mechanism of a valuble object can be risky if you don’t know where to apply it, and too much or too thick an oil attracts abrasive grime and clogs the mechanism.
Restoration
If a mechanism stops, forcing it to go may aggravate the damage; repair should be left to a specialist. Even if they are in good working order, clocks and watches with delicate mechanisms should be checked and serviced every five years, and those with larger, stronger mechanisms every decade.
Photo of jubilant marines on Iwo Jima…After historic moment victorious soldiers raised the Stars & Stripes
In this rarely seen photo, a group of marines celebrate on a mountain summit during World War Two as the Stars and Stripes flutters behind them in the breeze.
If the scenery looks familiar, it's because this is Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, February 23, 1945 - and just moments earlier, five of the soldiers were caught on film erecting the US flag in what soon became an iconic image.
The pictures were shot on the tiny Pacific island by Joe Rosenthal - and now his personal album has emerged for sale at auction
His image of American troops struggling to raise the flag after taking the mountain from the Japanese during the Battle of Iwo Jima won him the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.
This rare photo shows US troops celebrating moments after the flag was raised during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. The pictures were shot on the tiny Pacific island by Joe Rosenthal - and now his personal album has emerged for sale at auction
Moments earlier at the scene, on Mount Suribachi, Rosenthal photographed this iconic image of five marines struggling to raise the US flag. Right, his Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima picture was used for the US Marine Corps Memorial in Virginia (right)
The moment the flag is raised in this original photo in Rosenthal's albumOther images show the invasion landings on the island, soldiers in foxholes and troops holding up souvenir Japanese flags seized from the enemy.
There are also gruesome pictures of dead enemy soldiers.
The album was acquired from Rosenthal about 30 years ago by a private dealer who in turn sold it to American war historian Rodney Hilton-Brown who is now selling it.
It has a pre-sale estimate of £10,000.
Rosenthal's Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima picture was used for the US Marine Corps Memorial in Virginia.
American troops hold up souvenir Japanese flags seized from the enemy in another of the photos in Rosenthal's album
The album was acquired from Rosenthal about 30 years ago by a private dealer who in turn sold it to American war historian Rodney Hilton-Brown who is now selling it
The battle claimed 6,821 out of the 30,000 American troops and 21,570 Japanese lives. Above, US troops on the islandTom Lamb, of auctioneers Bonhams, said: 'After the battle, a smaller US flag was actually raised on top of the Mount Suribachi but that was deemed to be too small and so a much larger one was sent for.
'Joe Rosenthal only saw the second flag go up out of the corner of his eye and took the shot. He didn't known what he had got at the time.
'He got a large group of marines to then pose for the camera around the flag.
'He took his camera down the mountain, got a plane to Guam and had the film developed on the same day and the rest is history.
'Joe Rosenthal was a very good war photographer but he was famous for this one image.
US army tanks roll into view in the battle against the Japanese Empire and, right, one of the American troops from 1945
President Harry Truman, left, is presented with a bronze statue by sculptor Felix de Weldon, centre, and Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal at the White House in June 1945
Joe Rosenthal, pictured in 1995, in front of the Iwo Jima memorial in Virginia'This was his very own album of photographs that chronicle the Battle of Iwo Jima and is a very significant piece of photographic history.'
Out of around 30,000 US marines who attacked Iwo Jima, around 7,000 were killed compared to 20,000 out of 21,000 Japanese soldiers who fought to the death.
There are 52 3.5in by 4.5in images in the album, that was signed by Rosenthal who died in 2006.
The auction takes place in New York on Friday.
Source: Daily Mail
UK Auctioneers.com
Cookbook by the Heston Blumenthal of the 1700s is auctioned in UK Auction
With recipes for a 'dish of snow' and 'trifles with flowers', this cookbook could be the work of famed experimental chef Heston Blumenthal.
But the food scientist was clearly way behind the times, because this compendium of inventive was published 230 years ago.
John Farley, the Hetson Blumenthal of the 18th century, first published his book in 1783, which included recipes from an edible Chinese temple to carefully crafted artificial fruit via a 'desert island'.
He writes in his preface that although 'cooks of the last century boasted of having brought it to the highest pitch it could bear, yet we find that daily improvements are still making therein, which must be the case of every art depending on fancy and taste.'
As head chef for London's prestigious The London Tavern, John Farley would have been the celebrity chef of his time.
But he was not just interested in creating fantastic dishes for the expert cook .
He listed frugal recipes for those short of money, a section dedicated to 'nourishment of the sick', instructions on how to carve meat and the art of collaring - or how to put a collar on a bird.
For a gut-busting first course in February he recommends oyster patties and vermicielli soup, while suggesting 'pompadore cream and apple puffs' as a second serving for guests.
John Farley was the Heston Blumenthal (right) of the 18th century, advising readers how to whip up some extraordinary dishes
One dish involves stuffing a leg of mutton with oysters and roasting it, before garnishing with horseradish.
Another involves blanching sweetbreads, before boiling them in milk for 30 minutes and then serving with eggs and sauce.
Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbys, are offering a copy, published in 1800 in their in the February 21, 22, and 23 'Antique and Collectors Sale'.
Presented to Farley's 'patronage' of the public, the book coincides with the reign of mad King George III, and was printed fifteen years before Battle of Waterloo.
John Farley's book, first published in 1783, saw him give recipes for everything from a edible Chinese Temple or Obelisk to 'Stag's Heart Water'
As head chef for Londons prestigious The Tavern, John Farley came up with dishes including hedgehog and 'savoury jelly'
A spokesman for Hansons said: 'Farley sets out a cookbook providing the culinary secrets of London's prestigious haunt The London Tavern to his readers.
'As one of London's largest eateries of the time, Tavern's main dining room could set 355 people for dinner.
'Farley's own fantastical feasts are outlined in the book, as table settings dependent upon months are pictured.
'Typical recipes include the preparation of pigeons, woodcocks, cods heads and lobsters.
'As well as these culinary creations, the London Art of Cookery details information on the avoidance of copper poisoning, culinary tips for seafarers, marketing (shopping), and advice on how to keep and breed your turtles before cooking them.
'Farley recommends garnishing trifles with flower, putting leftover turkey or beef in jelly, and quaffing turnip wine.'
Source: Daily Mail