Miss Frank E. Buttolph British Library Vintage Menu Art Collection
More than a hundred years ago, an eccentric American lady called Miss Frank E Buttolph sent a letter of correspondence to the British Museum in London. The letter, dated 1902, inquired whether the respected British institution had received the gift Miss Buttolph sent.
It was a menu card from the Millenary Banquet for King Alfred, held the previous year at Delmonico’s in New York.
The gift was not entirely an altruistic gesture. Her donation, she hoped, would smooth the way to British Museum staff helping her acquire two copies of the menu for King Edward VII’s coronation, due to be held in August that year.
Miss Buttolph, of course, is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent menu collector. The bulk of her collection of over 25,000 menus is held at the New York Public Library. She wrote letters to people and to institutions all over the world to solicit menus for her collection and wooed the British Library in a very determined manner. As a result, the British Library now holds a fascinating collection of menus donated by Miss Buttolph as she negotiated with the staff. The menus and events cards are delicately held together in four large, leather-bound volumes. Ranging from ornately decorated hardbound embossed menus to much plainer railroad dining-car menus, the collection spans the years 1890-1904.
This is the first time these menus have ever been reproduced and Love Menu Art is proud to be partnering with the British Library to bring them to a global audience. And, we and the British Library have been unable to find out if Miss Buttolph ever got hold of those precious Coronation menus.
Born and raised in Vegas and now in Detroit. Being able to enjoy these menus is amazing. Put eight up in my dining room in matted frames. I couldn't be more impressed with them.
G.J.
Loved the Katz Menu! Our grandson lives in view of the old Katz Dug Store I grew up going to in the 1950s and 1960s. We framed it behind glass with the menu behind glass on the frame back. He's going to love it for his birthday! The quality and color are bright and eye catching! Also found the history included very interesting! Thank you !
B.K.
I gifted five of your menus to five different friends during the holiday season. I can't tell you how pleased each of the recipients were to receive the menus. So many fun memories were awakened. So much joy was shared. Good luck with your unique business.
Rebecca
Framed this for one of my wife’s Christmas gifts. She absolutely loves it. I used a frame with no mat and it turned out super nice.
Bob
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