Lakeside Cook Book (vol. 1 and 2)

Lakeside Cook Book (vol. 1 and 2)

N. A. D. (Naomi Ann Donnelley)

Chicago: Donnelley, Loyd and Co.; Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd

copyright 1878

Cook books written by Naomi Ann Donnelley, wife of Richard Robert Donnelley, after the Chicago Fire to provide material to keep the presses running.

The printing firm of Church, Goodman & Donnelley (est. 1864) was devastated by the Chicago Fire of 1871. Richard Robert Donnelley traveled to New York bearing a letter of reference signed by Chicago notables, refinanced, and rebuilt with new partners, Messrs. Loyd and Gassette. But R.R.’s most dedicated partner was his wife, Naomi Ann Shenstone Donnelley. When business lagged, she wrote two cook books (copyright 1878) to fill the presses. The type was kept standing. Whenever there was a cash flow problem new copies were printed and apprentices sent into the streets to hawk them. Only the changing imprint—from Donnelley & Loyd to Donnelley, Gassette and Loyd to R.R. Donnelley & Sons – and the varying advertisements give a hint of the actually printing date. Volume 1 has a yellow cover and Volume 2 is red. There is a unique combined blue edition in the company’s collection. The Lakeside Cook Book was featured in the famous collection that Chef Louis Szathmary of The Bakery restaurant donated to Johnson & Wales University. The rare copies that appear on the secondary market sell for hundreds of dollars each. I own four copies of Volume 1 each from a different printing with varying imprints and ads. Also, I have three of Volume 2 including an R.R. Donnelley & Sons imprint proving the cook book was being reprinted as late as 1883. An interesting bibliographic project would be to identify as many printings as possible and try to date them through the advertisements.

Susan Levy