Two vintage Italian cookbooks sold together as a set. Leone's Italian Cookbook by Gene Leone — the famous New York restaurateur whose mother started her restaurant in her living room and eventually fed up to 6,000 guests an evening — brings over 300 recipes with a foreword by Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Paired with The Italian Cookbook from the Culinary Arts Institute, a charming 1956 illustrated pamphlet-style booklet with 160 recipes covering antipasto through desserts.
Two different eras of Italian cooking, one great bundle for the kitchen or the cookbook shelf.
Quick Specs
Book 1 — Leone's Italian Cookbook
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Author: Gene Leone
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Foreword by: Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Publisher: Harper and Row, New York
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Year: 1967
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Edition: Book Club Edition — noted on dust jacket flap
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Format: Hardcover
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Dust Jacket: Yes — present, with wear
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Pages: 244
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Dimensions: 9" x 6" x 1"
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Cover: Green cloth boards
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Special Features: Portrait of Mother Leone, foreword by President Eisenhower, wine pairing suggestions throughout, 11 chapters including antipasto, pasta, fish, meats, vegetables, and desserts
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ISBN: Not confirmed from photos
Book 2 — The Italian Cookbook
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Author/Director: Melanie De Proft, Culinary Arts Institute Staff Home Economists
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Illustrator: Beatrice Derwinski
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Publisher: Culinary Arts Institute, Chicago, Illinois
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Year: 1956 copyright (1954, 1955, 1956)
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Edition: Not confirmed — staple-bound booklet, number 106 in the Culinary Arts Institute series
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Format: Staple-bound softcover pamphlet
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Dust Jacket: No — illustrated paper cover
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Pages: 68
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Dimensions: 9" x 6"
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Cover: Colorful illustrated cover — Italian woman cooking scene in green, red, and gold
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Special Features: Illustrated throughout, covers antipasto through beverages, includes glossary and index
Condition Grade: Good
Leone's Italian Cookbook — Positives
- Green cloth boards solid and clean
- All 244 pages present and fully legible
- Interior clean — no writing or staining noted in photos
- Binding holds tight
Leone's Italian Cookbook — Issues / Wear
- Dust jacket shows wear — creasing, edge wear, and toning throughout
- DJ spine shows wear and some fading
- DJ top corner shows small loss
- Book Club Edition — not a first trade edition
The Italian Cookbook — Positives
- All 68 pages present and legible
- Illustrated pages clean and clear
- Cover art intact and colorful
The Italian Cookbook — Issues / Wear
- Softcover shows wear consistent with age — creasing and edge wear
- Some toning to pages consistent with 70-year-old paper
- Staple binding — pages intact but inspect photos for any separation
See all photos for detail — sold as pictured.
Condition Grade Key:
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Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
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Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
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Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
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Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable and collectible but clearly used.
Collector's Notes
Leone's Restaurant was a New York institution — the kind of place Enrico Caruso ate at as a child and presidents wrote forewords for. This cookbook brings that whole world into your kitchen, with 300-plus recipes and the story behind one of America's most beloved Italian restaurants.
The Culinary Arts Institute booklet beside it is a mid-century charmer — illustrated, practical, and full of the kind of Italian recipes that were bringing classic Italian cooking into American home kitchens for the first time.
Together they make a genuinely useful and historically interesting pair for anyone who loves Italian food and vintage cookbooks.
Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)
- Photo-verified condition (no surprises)
- Packed with our protective packaging standard
- Ships in 1 business day
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Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece—please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.
Care and Handling:
Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40–50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings.
