Decorative Menu Designs

Fabric Menu (1889)

The ornate menu above is from the Dinner for Hon. John Reilly, held at  Charles Duppler's Hotel, New York on November 25, 1889. It is printed on fine pink fabric and contains elaborate machine embroidery. It is from the Buttolph Collection of Menus, part of the digital collections of the New York Public Library, which features an amazing array of menus from the mid 19th Century to 2008. The menus I am featuring are both functional and decorative, and were often intended to be kept as souvenirs. Some commemorate exclusive events; others are menus from ordinary restaurants, trains or cruise lines. The foods served are interesting, as are the prices included on some of the menus. Some are multi-page event programs that feature toasts and songs, and even pages for autographs. There are almost 19,000 items in this collection, so this is only a very small sample, but I have included menus that I found to be particularly beautiful and unusual. 

To explore this collection, please click on this link: http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/buttolph-collection-of-menus#/?tab=navigation. 

ANNUAL DINNER HELD BY THE NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY 
IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK (1881)

IN HONOR OF WILLIAM MC ARTHUR M.P., LORD MAYOR 
AT THE MANSION HOUSE,  ENGLAND (1881)

BREAKFAST MENU, OCEAN HOUSE HOTEL, NEWPORT, RI  (1881)

THANKSGIVING DAY MENU & PROGRAM, HOTEL DE DIJON, FRANCE (1881)

DINNER MENU,  PUTNAM HOUSE HOTEL, PALATKA, FL (1882)

OHIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, AT THE FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL (1886) 

AND DELMONICOS (1891), NEW YORK, NY

(This record contains parts of two different menus, as noted above, that were bound together.)

OPENING OF EGYPTIAN HALL, MASONIC TEMPLE , PHILADELPHIA, PA (1889)

LADIES FESTIVAL DINNER  HELD BY BAPTIST SOCIAL UNION OF BOSTON, MASS (1889)

FIRST ANNUAL DINNER, CONFEDERATE VETERAN CAMP OF NEW YORK 

AT NEW YORK HOTEL, NY (1891)

CHAMBERLIN'S MENU, WASHINGTON, D.C. (1891)

 

FABRIC DINNER MENU, THE BRUNSWICK (LOCATION UNKNOWN) (1896)

DINNER MENU, MENZIES' HOTEL, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (1899)

DINNER MENUS HAMBURG- AMERIKA LINIE, ENROUTE EXPRESS STEAMER AUGUSTE VICTORIA  AND 

POSTDAMPFER (MAIL STEAMER) WALDERSEE (1899)

THANKSGIVING DINNER HELD BY THE GRISWOLD HOUSE , DETROIT, MI (1899)

HOLIDAY DINNER MENU

NORTH WESTERN RAILROAD LINE

EN ROUTE CHICAGO TO ST. PAUL & DULUTH (1899-1900)

DINNER MENUS NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA SS KOBE MARU 

(INCLUDES MAP OF STEAMER ROUTES)  (1900)

BANQUET AND MEETING HELD BY THE ONCE A YEAR CLUB OF INSURANCE JOURNALISTS, NEW YORK PRESS CLUB, MORTON BUILDING, NY (1901)

CLOTH DINNER MENU OF MR.T. N.JARVIS, RECTOR'S RESTAURANT, NY (1906)

NEW YEAR'S DAY DINNER, GRANDON HOTEL, HELENA, MT (1906)

NEW YEAR'S DAY DINNER, M.F.LYONS DINING ROOM, NEW YORK (1906)

NEW YEAR'S DINNER HOTEL BELLECLAIR NEW YORK (1906)

WALDORF ASTORIA ANNUAL BANQUET,  THE JOBBERS ASSOCIATION OF FANCY DRESS BUYERS (1915)