While no food or beverages are ever allowed in the Beinecke Library’s reading room or classrooms, the collections are full of a veritable feast of manuscripts, printed material, objects, and ephemera related to eating and drinking (all in addition to the hundreds and hundreds of cookbooks). Beinecke staff showcased some of these delicious items in time for Thanksgiving 2017 (watch some highlights on the Beinecke Library YouTube channel), with a special pop-up table display of relevant materials from the archives, including:
Plates
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Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas papers, 1837-1961
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YCAL MSS 76, Box 164; Pottery plates. 2 plates Gertrude Stein had made for Carl Van Vechten at the local pottery near Bilignin where she lived. Each: 9 inches diameter. One inscribed “Rose is a rose is a rose is a” and “for Carlo” One inscribed “for Carlo” with branch and flower motif.
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Patriotic dishware imprinted with Kipling’s poem, The absent-minded beggar
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2014 Folio 608; 7 pieces of porcelain dishware, including a cup and saucer, a small plate, and three pin dishes (5 plates)
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Brownies ABC plate
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Shirley 8155; 1 embossed tin ABC plate
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The tyrants foe, the peoples friend.
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Art Storage 939; 1 blue, transfer-printed earthenware plate decorated with the text of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and other statements of equality.
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Western Americana transfer china collection
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WA MSS S-3018; 7 plates, 2 cups, 1 saucer. A collection of ten pieces of transferware made by manufacturers in England, France, and Austria, which had been decorated with images related to the American West before being exported to the United States. Box 1 contains Nauvoo Temple soup plate. Box 2 contains four French plates. Box 3 contains Texian Campaigne and Baranoff Castle plates. Box 4 contains two cups and one saucer.
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Sara and Gerald Murphy papers
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YCAL MSS 468, Box 84; Diamond and heart-shaped plates
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Utensils
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Sara and Gerald Murphy papers
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YCAL MSS 468; Box 80, Swizzle sticks, long-handled spoons, and ice masher; Box 81, Hand carved wooden spoons, Wooden spoons. Count unclear.
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Annie Dillard papers
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YCAL MSS 422, Box 47; Spoon and fork
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Peter Newell Family Papers
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YCAL MSS 62, Box 192; Pocket knife in sterling silver case
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Edwin J. Beinecke Collection of Robert Louis Stevenson
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GEN MSS 664. Box 127; Stevenson’s paper cutter
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Sara and Gerald Murphy papers
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YCAL MSS 468. Box 80; Jackknife shaped like bottle; Box 81, Oyster knife in leather case, Rostfrei filet knife with bone handle and leather sheath (3 knives)
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Drinking glasses/mugs/cups
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The Thing Quarterly. Issue 33 / Amanda Ross-Ho
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Za +Zt3352 33; 1 handblown drinking glass
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Patriotic dishware imprinted with Kipling’s poem, The absent-minded beggar
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2014 Folio 608; 7 pieces of porcelain dishware, including a cup and saucer, a small plate, and three pin dishes (1 cup)
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Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas Collection
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YCAL MSS 77, Box 35; The Gertrude Stein Mug
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The thing. Issue 8 / Trevor Paglen.
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Za +Zt3352 8; 1 ceramic coffee mug with logo on it reading “Alien Technology Exploitation Division, yltlhobQo’ Jay’.”
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The thing. Issue 11 / Chris Johanson.
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Za +Zt3352 11; 2 ceramic cups with “I wish you well” stamped on bottom, a poster of the moon, and instructions for drinking wine and relaxing with friends
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Cultivating thought, author series.
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Za1 2014 C8892; 24 paper cups (from Chipotle) printed with quotes from different authors.
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William A. Speck Collection of Goetheana: General Ephemera
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YCGL MSS 27, Box 9; Goethe demitasse cup and saucer
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Guide to the Imagining New Orleans Oral History Project Collection
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B WA MSS S-2702, Box 17; 2 Beer bottles, glass
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Napkins and linens
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Untitled, 2008 : special edition for Esopus magazine / Robert Therrien.
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Zac T3438 +2008; 1 tablecloth & 4 napkins
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The advantages of being a woman artist / Guerrilla Girls.
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Zac G9365 Ad959 2016; 1 tea towel
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Claude McKay Collection
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JWJ MSS 27. Box 19, folder 614; Napkin
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From the Vale Zines Collection.
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BEIN 2016 +S348; “Win with Ike for President” Napkin
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Visionaire. no. 22, Chic / Stephen Gan, Cecilia Dean, James Kaliardos ; guest editor Mario Testino ; design Florentino J. Pamintuan, Greg Foley …
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2009 Folio S10 22; includes a paper napkin with lipstick print from Paloma Picasso on it.
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Sara and Gerald Murphy papers
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YCAL MSS 468, Box 80; Metal napkin rings, Plastic napkin rings, Hand-carved rabbit napkin ring; Box 82; White lace linens, Yellow tea towels monogrammed “S.M.”, Table runner and circular place mats used by Murphys while living in Antibes, Tablecloths
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Other tableware and materials for centerpieces
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Jonathan Edwards Collection
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GEN MSS 151, Box 19, Folder 1232: Notes on imputation and free grace, written in part on a Thanksviging Proclamation by Governor Belcher for November 7, 1734
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The Thing Quarterly. Issue 29 / Ricky Swallow.
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Za +Zt3352 29; 1 porcelain egg cup
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The thing quarterly. Issue 17 / Shannon Ebner.
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Za +Zt3352 17; 1 maple syrup bottle
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Jubilation by Sande Wascher-James, 2012
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2013 Folio 112: An artist’s book consisting of a pop-up paper sculpture in the shape of a fan, mounted on 2 black cloth-covered panels placed end to end.
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Autumn, McLoughlin Bro’s, 1884
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Folio Shirley 56: features a pop-up illustration consisting of two free-standing paper panels and p. [1] of the sheet representing nine children amusing themselves outdoors apple picking, sitting on a bench, and riding a seesaw.
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Les beaux magasins, en relief / illustrations de Jo. Zagula.
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2006 +100; six pop-up double-page illustrations, each of a store with figures of children among the customers; text in the foreground of each ill. describes the experiences of the children visiting the stores. Stores include a flower shop, a book shop, a bakery, a butcher, a grocery store and a pet store.
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A la case de l’oncle Tom, cafés et thès.
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Shirley 5314; 1 sugar packet from a coffee and tea establishment in Geneva, Switzerland, with an illustration of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s character, Uncle Tom, on both sides.
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The thing. Issue 3 1/2 / Tucker Nichols.
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Za +Zt3352 3 ½; 4 paper coasters
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Edwin J. Beinecke Collection of Robert Louis Stevenson
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GEN MSS 664, Box 128; Stevenson’s candlestick holders
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Sara and Gerald Murphy papers
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YCAL MSS 468; Box 79, Forbes Silver Plate Company sugar bowl, Wooden bowl; Box 80, Jiggers in leather case, Silver juicer, Silver and glass juicer, Bottle opener, Green handled bottle opener, Green handled corkscrew, Jackknife bottle opener and corkscrew, Cork with metal handle; Box 81, Hand carved toothpicks; Box 85, Circular cutting board with handle
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Menus
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28 juillet 1987.
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2014 896; A menu for a banquet in honor of Marcel Duchamp, celebrating the 100th year anniversary of his birth
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Ahwahnee Hotel menus, with photographs by Ansel Adams.
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Zc72 938ah; 6 menus from the Ahwahnee Hotel from October 4-7, 1938. Each menu is 4 unnumbered pages, with unnumbered page 1 having a photograph by Ansel Adams, unnumbered page 2 blank, unnumbered page 3 having the menu, and unnumbered page 4 having a description of the Yosemite National Park scene depicted in Adams’s photograph, along with the photograph title.
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Bill of fare.
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Zc49 879de; Card (4 x 12 cm.) laced onto silk menu so as to cover title; card reads “Thanksgiving. Menu Press Club Dinner, 1879.”
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Cab Calloway ephemera from the Cotton Club.
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JWJ Zan C135 M931C; 1 table menu that contains a brief manuscript note to Calloway from Peter Jaffray of Toronto, Canada, along with 4 other items.
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Collection of miscellaneous material concerning New York World’s Fair, 1939-1940.
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Uah N58 +H; 40 pieces, including 20 menus from the 1940 World Fair
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Collection of restaurant menus.
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2016 +150; 4 menus from New York City restaurants, 1 menu from an undetermined location in United States, 1 menu from Mexico City restaurant, between around 1945-1955
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Complimentary dinner to Tommaso Salvini : given at the Hotel Brunswick, New York, April 26, 1883, as a tribute of respect and admiration for his pre-eminent genius as an artist, and especially for his masterly interpretations of Shakespeare.
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2000 2389 75; “Menu”: p. [2]. “Toasts. Greetings to the guest, by the chairman, Joseph H. Choate, Esq.”–P. [3].
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Festmahl zur Feier des 150 jährigen Geburtsfestes von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe im Palmengarten zu Frankfurt a.M. am 28. August 1899.
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Speck Dp 899f; Menu, wine list, and musical program of Goethe banquet.
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Paradise Garden Fiesta Room : the show place of the nation : Idlewild, Michigan : phone 9021.
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JWJ Zan P21 948P’ “Menu of liquors & fine wines”–Caption title. A drink menu from the Fiesta Room of the Paradise Garden in Idlewild, Michigan, a resort community for African Americans.
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Henry Hurford Janes-Josephine Baker collection
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JWJ MSS 2, Box 5, folder 237; Menu: Gala Dinner and Dance at Ciro’s 1945 Apr 29
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George Platt Lynes Diaries and Memorabilia
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YCAL MSS 147, Box 3, folder 20; Notebook of dinners and menus
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Sons of Donne banquet, 1914.
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Za M224 914S; Menu and event program.
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To W.E. Burghardt DuBois.
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JWJ Zan D853 +N924T; Menu and program of “Dinner in honor of Dr. W.E. Burghardt DuBois, Café Savarin, New York, N. Y., April 13, 1924.” Contains tributes by Witter Bynner, Zona Gale, Eugene O’Neill, Countée P. Cullen, and Scudder Middleton.
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David Alan Richards collection of Rudyard Kipling
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GEN MSS 1143, Box 10; menu signed and initialed
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Chez “Maxim’s.”
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2016 Folio 7; Dinner menu from the Paris restaurant Maxim’s.
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Binkley House, Sherman, Texas : Britton & Dicks, proprietors.
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BrSide4o Zc52 878bi; A menu for a hotel restaurant.
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