1944 Household Searchlight Recipe Book 17th Edition Thumb Indexed Vintage Hardcover Cookbook

This 1944 Household Searchlight Recipe Book is a 17th edition hardcover cookbook with 320 pages and a thumb indexed edge for quickly finding each recipe section.

Compiled by four women working in home economics and journalism, it brings together practical American recipes tested and selected for everyday home cooking.

Details

• Item: Hardcover cookbook
• Title: The Household Searchlight Recipe Book
• Editors and Compilers: Ida Migliario, Zorada Z. Titus, Harriet W. Allard, and Irene Nunemaker
• Publisher: The Household Magazine, Topeka, Kansas
• Year: 1944
• Edition/Printing: 17th edition, revised and illustrated
• Format: Black textured hardcover with printed red and gray cover decoration
• Dust Jacket: Absent
• Pages: 320
• Genre: American cooking and home economics
• Special Features: Thumb indexed recipe sections, recipe testing information, and recipes credited to contributing home cooks
• Size: Approximately 10 inches tall, 7 inches wide, and 1 1/2 inches thick

Condition Grade: Good

Positives

• All pages are firmly attached.
• Recipes remain clear, legible, and usable.
• The printed title and Household Magazine design remain bright and easy to read on the black cover.
• The thumb indexed sections remain present and make the cookbook easy to navigate.

Issues / Wear

• The lower spine corner where the cover meets the front board has torn covering material and exposed board.
• The front and back covers show stains, small marks, rubbing, and edge wear.
• The thumb index tabs show discoloration, creasing, and wear from use.
• Pages show age toning, scattered stains, and signs of kitchen use.

See all photos for detail. Sold as pictured.

Condition Grade Key

• Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
• Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
• Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
• Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable or usable but clearly used.

Collector's Notes

This cookbook was designed around practical recipes for American home kitchens rather than restaurant cooking.

It may suit a vintage cookbook collector, family recipe researcher, or cook interested in everyday 1940s food.

The thumb index and credited recipe contributors give this copy the feel of a cookbook meant to be kept close and used often.

It has clearly spent time in a kitchen, but it is still ready to help with dinner.

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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.