Ref. 75702-21TV chefs may be dominating the shelves of bookshops today but the idea of cooks sharing their secrets is nothing new.

Over the past two centuries cooks like Isabella Beeton, Hannah Glasse, Eliza Acton and Charlotte Mason were the Delia Smiths and Nigella Lawsons of their day, offering the lady of the house or kitchen staff tips on cooking and etiquette.

A whole sale at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Swindon has been dedicated to cookbooks through the ages.

Almost 400 cooking-related books from different authors will go under the hammer at the Maxwell Street auction house on Thursday.

The books, many of which are more than 150 years old, feature sketches of traditional kitchens to diagrams of the correct way to prepare a chicken for boiling.

Others, including one by Hannah Wolley, called The Gentlewoman's Companion, or A Guide to the Female Sex, contains directions to the correct behaviour for cook-maids, dairymaids and chambermaids.

Chris Albury, a valuer at the auction house, said: "I think many people will be quite surprised to discover that historic cookbooks are in demand, and although we don't have one in the sale, there are some cookbooks extending as far back as the 15th or 16th century.

"They are one of the few areas of books, alongside bibles and children's book, where collectors will still pay high prices even if the book is damaged in some way. Because of the way they were used in the home so not too many survive.

"Collectors snap them up quickly if a one-off comes to light.

"Books like those by Mrs Beeton would have been huge sellers at the time. One certainly might have been kept in the home as a reference for the serving staff. Others would have given a guide to the all important etiquette."

A book by Catherine Brooks, called the Complete English Cook or Prudent Housewife, is expected to fetch between £700 and £1,000.

It suggests that the lady of the house should be able cook soups, sauces, pies, tarts, as well as be able to roast, boil and stew.

Eliza Acton's books, including the delightfully named Modern Cooking for Private Families, offer the housewife or servant a selection of "Easy Practice" recipes.

Maisie Wick, a member of the Wroughton Women's Institute, reminisced about how she learnt her culinary skills.

"When I was young I was the youngest of five sisters I would watch mother preparing the food, and I learnt much.

"These days the modern woman does not tend to be very feminine any more.

"Work takes that away and a lot do not know very much about cooking.

"One day we had some windfall apples, and decided to offer them for free to a group of mums, and one of them replied, 'I wouldn't know what to do with them,' and one of our members was horrified."

Curried mutton

ONE recipe in the Mrs Beetons Cookery Book of 1912, valued at between £150-£200 is for curried mutton.

There are no microwaves times or gas marks in sight.

The instructions for mutton curry call for 1lb of mutton, curry sauce and boiled rice.

All fat and skin should be removed from the mutton and it should be cut into small thin slices. They should then be put into the sauce for at least half an hour and then served with the boiled rice.

Preparation should take no more than half an hour and the ingredients cost only 6d.

It can be served to three or four people and is seasonable at all times.

Another book, The Turkish Cookery Book by Turabi Efendi, published in 1864 features dishes such as shish kebab.

The book was the first book on Turkish cookery in English and translation of the first Turkish printed cookbook.

It could go for between £300-500.

Anthony Osborne