An 18th century ‘bill of fare’ showing a Christmas lunch menu in a pub mentioned in Charles Dickens’s novel the Pickwick Papers has sold for £2,400.
These bills, which list more than 100 unusual dishes, were issued in 1790-1780 by the landlord at the Bush Tavern in Bristol.
Dickens, a writer who visited the inn in 1835 and wrote about it as his first novel, made this famous.
These dishes include turtles and reindeer tongues as well as eels and veal heads.
An 18th century ‘bill of fare’ showing a Christmas lunch menu in a pub mentioned in Charles Dickens’s novel the Pickwick Papers has sold for £2,400. These bills, which list more than 100 unusual dishes, were issued in 2017 and 1800 by the landlord at the Bush Tavern in Bristol.
They went on sale on December 15 at Dominic Winter Auctioneers, in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and were expected to go for between £500 – £800 – but went for £2,400.
You will see the archaic long s, which is a lowercase F that was very popular back then.
While the 1790 fare bill includes a roasting pan, reindeer tongue, a 47-pound Turtle, the 1800 menu features a 120-pound Turtle.
Many birds have been listed: cuckoos; owls; golden plovers; swan; larks.
Some of these items are listed in small quantities such as 122 eels and 208 small birds.
Both years, the availability of Turkeys was evident.
Dickens made the famous coaching inn famous after visiting it in 1835.
Some of these items are listed in small quantities such as 122 eels and 208 small birds. Above:
It remained open up to the middle of the 19th century, and later the property that housed it was occupied by Lloyds Bank.
The Pickwick Papers was Dickens’ first major work that received public praise.
Dickens, a young 24-year-old serialized writer, balanced his work as a reporter for the courtroom with this episodic writing.
This book became the first British novel to be published. It also inspired merchandise and theatre performances.
The publication was distributed in 19 issues over 20 months, with illustrations by Robert Seymour.
Lloyds Bank has reoccupied the building that once housed the Tavern.