Old-School Cookbooks That Are Now Worth Way More Than You Think

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If you've ever rummaged through vintage cookbooks at a used bookstore, found something interesting and thought, "maybe this is worth something," you could have been correct. There are lots of old-school cookbooks in the world, and some resell for a lot of money. That said, it can be tricky to know what makes some of them super rare and valuable. If you suspect there might be a goldmine hidden amongst your cookbook collection, there are a few things to consider before dialing up the appraiser.

A rare book is one that is either out of print, or has been reprinted several times over, causing those early editions to become scarce. For a rare book to have a high resale value, it must also be in demand. First editions of classic or influential cookbooks could be worth a lot because they're both rare and well-known, but two of the most important attributes in determining an old cookbook's worth are perhaps the hardest to come by.

Valuable cookbooks are in good condition. Really valuable cookbooks are in good condition and signed by the author. Really, really valuable cookbooks are first edition printings with high demand, in good condition, and signed by the author. If you have a first edition copy of "The Joy of Cooking" but it's damaged, it won't be worth as much. If Irma Rombauer signed it, however, you'll get major rarity points. Take a look at some of the old-school cookbooks that command top dollar.

Jullia Child is one of the most influential celebrity chefs ever, and the cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" propelled her to fame. "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was published in 1961 and is still in print. While promoting the cookbook on public television, Child's quirky yet charming omelet demonstration led to her filming a cooking show pilot. Child's PBS show, "The French Chef" debuted in 1963. She became a household name, which is why her first cookbook is so valuable.

Child's status as one of the first TV chefs secured her place as a culinary force of nature, and although she went on to write several more cookbooks, first edition copies of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" are the most coveted amongst rare book collectors. An early first-edition printing that is in good used condition and autographed by Child, retails for about $3,500. An unsigned version of the same printing in the same condition could command $2,500. Good used condition indicates that the book is largely free of tears and stains, and the spine is intact.

The first edition of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was printed for several years. Earlier printings are generally worth the most, unless Child's autograph is on a later-issued copy. For instance, a first edition, 13th printing from 1966, can resell between $600 and $400 — not bad, but not worth thousands.

In the mid 20th century, "The Joy of Cooking" was mandatory reading for anyone who had an affection for classic recipes. This landmark work, self-published in 1931, was written by Irma S. Rombauer, a home cook in her 50s. Rombauer's thorough and heartfelt approach to cookbook writing has reverberated across generations. "The Joy of Cooking" never lost relevance, so the earliest editions of this cookbook sell for a lot.

The first 3,000 copies of "The Joy of Cooking" were produced by a privately contracted printer rather than a publishing house. The original book jacket art depicts a graphic of Saint Martha of Bethany, patron saint of cooking, slaying a dragon. Original drawings by Rombauer's daughter, Marion, were incorporated amongst the recipes. Anyone with a first-printing of "The Joy of Cooking" has something truly special. A signed, first-printing copy in good condition (with the book jacket missing) sells for approximately $8,000.

In 1936, commercial book printer, Bobbs-Merrill Company, published "The Joy of Cooking" and it has stayed in print ever since. Autographed, first-edition copies made by Bobbs-Merrill can be found on eBay, with an asking price of nearly $2,800. An unsigned 1936 copy in good condition can sell for around $550.

Cookbooks with detailed instructions, illustrations, and household tips were becoming more common in the 19th century, and "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book," published in 1896, is one of the most enduring cookbooks written in this style. Fannie Merritt Farmer, a graduate-turned-employee of the Boston Cooking-School, wrote the book, but rewrote is perhaps a more accurate description. Mary J. Lincoln authored the original "Boston Cooking-School Cook Book," penning it in a way that appealed to professional chefs. Farmer's version was aimed at housewives. This gave the cookbook mass appeal — and a high resale value.

Farmer oversaw revisions to "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book" herself until 1914 (she passed away a year later). These early versions are rare, and aren't often found in the best condition. A 1905 printing in fair condition sells for about $350. On the other hand, a professionally rebound 1896 edition sells for approximately $2,650. "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book" includes hundreds of recipes, many of which are for old-school New England foods. It was one of the first widely-read cookbooks to include specific measurements for ingredients.

Former columnist Charles H. Baker, Jr.'s 1939 book, "The Gentleman's Companion," is a two-volume work detailing his first-hand experiences with food and drink. Baker traveled the world writing for Esquire, Gourmet, and Town & Country. His writing background coupled with the era he lived in explains the "The Gentleman's Companion"'s masculine yet cultured tone. It could have easily been penned by Ernest Hemingway (who is name-dropped in the book), and like a well-preserved copy of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "The Gentleman's Companion" is a valuable read.

For a copy of "The Gentleman's Companion" to really be worth something, Volume I: "Being an Exotic Cookery Book, or Around the World with a Knife Fork and Spoon" and Volume II: "Being an Exotic Drinking Book or, Around the World with Jigger, Beaker and Flask" should be sold as a set. An autographed copy in excellent used condition (without the original cloth-covered slipcase) has a $1,000 price tag. An unsigned 1946 edition in near fine condition (with a damaged paperback slipcase) retails for $521, but the value can decrease by hundreds due to condition defects, even if they're mild.

The name Salvador Dalí typically evokes visions of gorgeous and surreal paintings settled in renowned art museums, yet Dalí was enough of a foodie that he created an original cookbook in 1973. In the introduction to "Les Diners de Gala," Dalí states that his first boyhood dream was to become a master chef. His cookbook is as much an exploration into the Spanish artist's culinary interests as it is a showcase of vibrant photography and avant-garde artwork. First printings of "Les Diners de Gala" now command a steep sum, and they're nothing like the other cookbooks you have in your collection.

Dalí named his cookbook after his wife, Gala who is depicted on the cover. The book features 136 recipes and broaches subjects like aphrodisiacs, which were a bit taboo at the time. A first edition sells for a staggering $9,500 in some places, yet a similar copy elsewhere retails for approximately $500. Taschen has assumed reprinting duties, and versions from this particular publishing house aren't worth as much. If you're after the artwork more than the recipes, a first-edition French language version Dalí actually signed is also available for sale — the asking price for this type of version is available for about $3,895.

The name Auguste Escoffier evokes visions of the tightly-run fine-dining kitchens that he envisioned. Escoffier's 1903 cookbook "A Guide to Modern Cookery," or "Le Guide Culinaire," was born from this regimented model of cookery and the intellectual agony of designing a killer restaurant menu. Whether or not modern-day chefs have read Escoffier's cookbook, his practices have left a permanent impression on what we know today as haute cuisine. For those more familiar, "A Guide to Modern Cookery" is an old-school cookbook with a hefty price tag.

English language versions with cloth covers in good condition are particularly valuable. A 1907 version in very good used condition sells for about $2,400. If you've ever wondered if sellers overshoot the value of what certain cookbooks are worth, consider this: a first edition copy of "A Guide to Modern Cookery" printed in America in 1898 and said to be the first English version, is also available for sale for approximately $1,500. "A Guide to Modern Cookery" sets itself apart by explaining in text many French-classic foundations of cooking prior to revealing the recipes.

Modern day chefs and cookbook aficionados are finally giving Edna Lewis her flowers by acknowledging that her "Taste of Country Cooking," published in 1976, is one of the most important cookbooks of the 20th century. Lewis, a Virginia native, possessed a humble yet steady-sighted approach to Southern cuisine. She sang the praises of seasonal ingredients and the joys of comfort food prepared with a straightforward elegance. Now, some copies of her timeless publication are worth more than one might assume.

The first edition of "The Taste of Country Cooking" features a cover photo of Lewis, head bowed, gathering tomatoes in a lush sunflower garden. By 1997, the first edition had been reprinted 17 times. The 30th anniversary edition traded this cover image with a more formal portrait of the author, and is rather easy to come by. Prices for a 1976 printing vary wildly. Purchasing a copy online could cost anywhere between $21.99 on Amazon (for a paperback version) to $132 elsewhere (for a hardcover copy). Autographed first editions have sold for up to $495.00, but not many owners of such a sacred copy are willing to let it go.

The snidest remark about how much a copy of this cookbook can fetch would surely come from Anthony Bourdain himself. The fact he isn't here to utter it is why "Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook" is worth so much today. Before Bourdain became a celebrity chef and globe-trotting television star, he was head chef at Brasserie Les Halles, a laid-back, French-style eatery on Manhattan's Park Avenue South. Les Halles shuttered in August 2017 and Bourdain died by suicide less than a year later. Yet in 2004, Bourdain and Les Halles had one last tango, in cookbook form.

Bourdain's 2000 memoir "Kitchen Confidential" launched his literary fame, and after a while, he no longer needed to work at Les Halles to pay his bills. "Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook" was a true retrospective highlighting French classics. It's also worth mentioning that Bourdain signed a lot of copies. Today, an autographed first edition copy (in near fine condition) can sell between $850 and $1,250. For a select few, Bourdain included original kitchen-themed sketches with his signature. Copies with Bourdain's drawings sell for over $5,800.

If your first edition copy isn't inscribed, you've still got something others want. Beneath the jacket featuring Bourdain's portrait is a front-cover sketch of a toque-wearing skull with a bloody knife in its mouth. The design is attributed to Bourdain, often accompanied by the saying "cook free or die." Later printings no longer carry this "hidden feature."

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Published in 2009, "Dashi and Umami: The Heart of Japanese Cuisine" isn't definitively old-school, but it's worth a lot more than other cookbooks of the same age. At that time, dashi, a broth made from flakes of dried fish and seaweed, and umami, a savory flavor known as "the fifth taste," were emerging foodie concepts to a lot of cookbook collectors. "Dashi and Umami: The Heart of Japanese Cuisine," a polished cookbook with forewords from superstar chefs Nobu Matsuhisa and Heston Blumenthal sought to change that. Less than 10 years after its publication, it went out of print.

"Dashi and Umami: The Heart of Japanese Cuisine" has been credited as one of the only cookbooks available in English that expounds upon how to develop deep umami flavor. A used copy on Amazon sells for $250. A copy elsewhere in like new condition is similarly priced at $258. There aren't many copies for sale online, which speaks to the cookbook's rarity. If the book becomes even more scarce in the future, its value could increase.

In a rare 1938 publication that's part cookbook, part coffee-table tome, the "USSR People's Commisserat of Food Industry Sausages and Smoked Meats" flaunts the Soviet Union's prowess in high-quality meat production. Most Soviet butchers did not employ the techniques illustrated in the book, such as "extra" whole tongue sausage, but they weren't the book's target audience anyway. These exclusive smoked meats and the book itself, were intended to be shared amongst wealthy USSR officials. Only 4,000 units were printed, and the ones that are still around are worth the price of a car.

A single copy with a worn spine and mildewed pages could be yours for over $25,000. Another copy belongs to the University of Chicago, which is fitting since the city served as an unexpected muse for the book. In the early to mid-1930s, the People's Commissar for the Food Industry, Anastas Mikoyan, and other appointees went to Chicago to better understand modern butchery and sausage-making. This is perhaps why the book's illustrations are captioned in Russian and English. It may also explain inclusions like "High-grade American Smoked Bacon."

"USSR People's Commisserat of Food Industry Sausages and Smoked Meats" was released in 1938 only, yet various cover styles were made. Some covers are bound with red cord and have silver lettering, others are less ornate. If you happen to be in possession of this cookbook, you might want to lock it in a safe.

When "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management" was released in 1861, few books on homemaking existed, had been so comprehensive, or became so valuable. London-born Beeton came from a large family and studied cake and pastry making as a young woman. Her husband, Sam Beeton was a prominent publisher who oversaw circulation of The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine. He thought Isabella's contributions would enhance the magazine's content — and he was right. She received thousands of recipes from readers, many of which were included in "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management."

Modern reprints of "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management" are nearly 1,200 pages in length, which speaks to how thorough the text has been from the beginning. Illustrations of ornate cakes and table settings are a huge part of what makes Beeton's contribution valuable. A first edition copy in very good used condition commands about $4,125. Beeton passed away in 1865, mere years after her massive tome came to fruition and sold millions of copies. Since then, many additions have been made to the original book. Post-mortem versions are far less valuable. For instance, a used copy from 1899 sells for less than $189.

Chef and cookbook author, Rufus Estes was born into slavery in 1857 and raised in Tennessee. To care for his mother, he spent five years cooking at a Nashville restaurant, where he sharpened his culinary prowess. In his early 20s, Estes moved to Chicago. He cooked at a French restaurant until landing a position with Pullman Company Private Car Service, a luxury train line. There, Estes oversaw the dining service for high-profile clientele, including presidents and international royalty. He compiled his many recipes into an original cookbook called "Good Things to Eat: As Suggested by Rufus." Its value has skyrocketed.

"Good Things to Eat: As Suggested by Rufus" was self-published in 1911 and included the subtitle: "A Collection of Practical Recipes for Preparing Meats, Game, Fowl, Fish, Puddings, Pastries, Etc." It is one of the first cookbooks written by an African American chef. A 1911 edition in used condition commands about $9,500. In 2013, a manuscript of the cookbook was sold in an auction for approximately $1,140.

In addition to its sheer scarcity, what makes "Good Things to Eat: As Suggested by Rufus" so desirable are Estes' wonderfully eclectic recipes. From pig ear lyonnaise and cocoa rice meringue to fried bananas and Japanese Sandwiches, the 591 recipes inside this (since reprinted) cookbook tell the story of Estes' remarkable life.