BRIAN WATSON & HIS COOKERY BOOKLETS HAVE BROUGHT PLENTY OF THESE ITEMS OUT OF THE CUPBOARD. This is one Brian produced when asked for some material with an art deco flavour.
![Clements Tonic Cookery Book, stapled booklet](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Jean-rigby-x-4-008.jpg)
The cook looks very calm and in control of her kitchen; is it due to an overdose of Cleme
nts Tonic?
There appear to have been eight editions of this cookery book. The earliest was published before 1912 and the latest was thought to be published between 1930 and 1940.
The one illustrated is the edition published between 1930 and 1940. The catalogue record in Trove describes the two covers:
“With Compliments of Clements Tonic Rozelle Ltd. Sydney”–Cover.
Front cover is coloured red and blue, with a picture of a lady wearing a red dress, with white collar, and a white apron with red checks holding a covered dish on a red tray. Back cover has an advertisement for Elliott’s Essences, with a picture of a bottle of Elliott’s essence of vanilla, and some cakes.
[The second version has a ] Front cover coloured orange and black, with a picture of a lady wearing a black dress, with white collar, and a white apron with orange checks holding a mixing bowl and a recipe book on a white table. Back cover has an advertisement for Elliott’s Essences, with a picture of a bottle of Elliott’s essence of vanilla, and some cakes.
We can show you some detail from the book; here are some extracts from some recipe sections and adverting.
!['Afternoon Teas... and Suppers' from Clements Tonic Cookery Book.](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Watson-clements-afternoon-tea-600x356.jpg)
The combined aims of pleasure and economy suggest the publication date is during or immediately post the Depression.
!['Tempting Suggestions for the Dinner Table' from the Clements Tonic Cookery Book.](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Watson-Clements-dinner-600x316.jpg)
Advertising
The flavour of the advertising ranges from this fresh young woman who is maintaining herself with Fletcher’s Pills to the almost sad face below of an older woman who ‘felt really well’ after her Clements Tonic.
![Extract from an advertisement in the Clements Tonic Cookery Book.](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Watson-clements-ad-tonic.jpg)
![Extract from an advertisement for Clements Tonic from the company's Cookery Books, c. 1930s-1940.](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Watson-clements-ad-FletcherWatson-clements-ad-Fletcher-600x422.jpg)
The 32 page, stapled booklet ends with advertising for essence de lemon with a beaming jelly in a beautiful domed shape.
![Back cover of Clements Tonic Cookery Book, stapled 32 pages, 18 cm x 10 cm, c.1930-1940. Collection of Brian Watson.](https://ephemerasociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Watson-clements-back-cover.jpg)
We hope to show you more of these capsules of social life.
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