Good Questions: Where To Buy Old Restaurant Menus?

Hello AT,

Does anyone know where I can buy old restaurant menus? I've looked at the online poster sites and don't see what I'm looking for.

The photo here isn't what I want. It's just a photo to be a guide.

I've seen old menus in frames in magazines but just can't seem to find them anywhere.

Old European menus would be great or menus from Cunard or the Orient Express.

Thanks, Anne

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Comments (11)

Search on E-bay under Collectibles.

They currently have auctions for both Cunard menus and Orient Express menus. Most are unframed.

posted by Doug on September 24th 2007 at 10:41am
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The flea market at Porte de Clingnancourt!

posted by Kristin Hohenadel on September 24th 2007 at 10:46am
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Check out these from a shop in Toronto - perhaps you can order them directly:

http://shopwinkel.blogspot.com/2007/03/fine-dining.html

posted by sojudesigns on September 24th 2007 at 10:50am
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You need to look for dealers in "ephemera." These are people who deal in antique paper products -- maps, advertisements, tickets, sheet music... and Menus. This might be a good place to start: http://www.ephemerasociety.org/examples.html

posted by Margaret on September 24th 2007 at 12:02pm
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Watson Kennedy, in Seattle, sells vintage French menus

http://www.watsonkennedy.com/cart/store/WK_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=95

posted by Carina on September 24th 2007 at 2:49pm
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try looking in online library archives. the new york city public library may have some for starters that you could print out if you want to see how they'd look framed.

posted by *heather leaf* on September 24th 2007 at 3:39pm
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Try parishotelboutique.com

Here is one I found: http://www.parishotelboutique.com/productDetail.aspx?prodID=2427

posted by ava_jane on September 24th 2007 at 4:42pm
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If you're in Oakland, CA in Rockridge there's a place called La Maison d'Etre. They had a ton of menus, mostly from weddings, in French, a few years ago. I haven't been in recently, but if you're in the area, it would be worth stopping by.

posted by fancyd on September 24th 2007 at 8:42pm
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The New York Public Library has one of the biggest collections of restaurant menus - New-York Historical and Johnson and Wales are two other big East Coast collectors - and we have a Digitial Gallery with thousands of menus online which are available to purchase (and support NYPL in the process.) It's sorted by year, but you can search within the collection as well.

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgtitle_tree.cfm?level=1&title_id=268324

Rebecca
www.cookedbooks.blogspot.com

posted by claire39 on September 25th 2007 at 4:46am
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There's a store in Chicago called POSH that specializes in old collections from hotels and cruise lines. I've seen complete sets of dishware and flatware, so I imagine that menus are around as well. The owner also will scout for special requests. poshchicago.com

posted by techgirllaura on September 25th 2007 at 6:06am
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Love the suggestions! Thank you so much.

posted by anne on September 28th 2007 at 10:32am
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