ROBERTS, ROBERT. The House Servant's Directory comprising Hints on the Arrangement and Performance of Servant's Work With Friendly Advice to Cooks, and Heads of Families. 12mo, modern brown morocco-backed cloth-covered boards; spine with raised

ROBERTS, ROBERT. The House Servant's Directory comprising Hints on the Arrangement and Performance of Servant's Work With Friendly Advice to Cooks, and Heads of Families. 12mo, modern brown morocco-backed cloth-covered boards; spine with raised bands, decorative stamps in five panels, title in sixth; pages 59-66 have paper flaws resulting in short, closed tears to fore-edge margins, not affecting text. Boston and New York, 1827 E2,000/3,000 FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST COOKBOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN. "Roberts, a Negro, was for many years employed by Christopher Gore, Governor and Senator of Massachusetts. Although only two other editions of Roberts's book are recorded, some historians think that this work was seminal in producing men of singular ability as caterers, and managers-rather than servants-of large households"- Longone Catalogue; Lowenstein. American Cookery Books, 107; Blockson Collection, 1969 reprint; Schomburg Collection, Sc. Rare C84-3 (second edition, 1828). [SEE ILLUSTRATION]