How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States, Together with the Most Popular British, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish Recipes, Embracing Punches, Juleps, Cobblers, etc., etc., etc., in Endless Variety. To Which is Appended a Manual for the Manufacture of Cordials, Liquors, Fancy Syrups, &c., &c.... Illustrated with Description Engravings. The Whole Containing Over 600 Valuable Recipes -
Jerry Thomas, Christian Shultz
1862 - Dick & Fitzgerald, New York - First Edition
An extremely rare first edition of the legendary first and seminal book on mixology and bartenders' guide to include cocktail recipes, by the great Professor Jerry Thomas, referred to as ‘The Best Bartender of the Past’ by Harry Craddock in the ‘Savoy Cocktail Book’ of 1930.
Illustrated and containing 236 recipes by Jerry Thomas and 463 recipes by Christian Schultz. In addition to listings of recipes for Punches, Sours, Slings, Cobblers, Shrubs, Toddies, Flips, and a variety of other types of mixed drinks were ten recipes for drinks referred to as ‘Cocktails’. A key ingredient which differentiated ‘cocktails’ from other drinks in this compendium was the use of bitters as an ingredient, although it is not used in many modern cocktail recipes.
‘‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas, principal baertender at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York and the Planter’s House, St. Louis, a pioneer cocktail exponent, who helped to spread the fashion for the mixed drink during the Victorian era. Thomas, at the height of his fame in the ‘Roaring Fifties’, toured Europe in 1859 with a set of sterling silver cups, standard mixing practice at the time, trailing a stream of liquid flame as he compounded his legendary Blue Blazer cocktail’ - a powerful concoction of whiskey and water ignited and passed between two glasses so that, "if well done this will have the appearance of a continued stream of liquid fire." ‘(for the novice, practice with cold water was recommended).’ – Simon Khachadourian, The Cocktail Shaker [2000].
Jerry Thomas’ New York Times obituary noted that he was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was popular among all classes." The introduction to the present volume characterizes Thomas, "his very name is synonymous, in the lexicon of mixed drinks, with all that is rare and original." That reputation endures today, more than a century after this guide first appeared in print. First Edition, with the publication date "1862" present on the title page, and the stereographer and printer noted on the copyright page. In the First State binding priced "$1.50" and with the gilt illustration. Later states have the price raised to $2.00, then $2.50. The first issue appears to have been simultaneously published under two titles: "The Bar-tender's Guide, a complete cyclopaedia of Plain and Fancy Drinks" and the present title, "How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion", rare in any state, particularly in the desirable first-issue binding with the gilt man raising a glass and priced "$1.50.".
Referring again to the 1930 ‘Savoy Cocktail Book’, the second page of which shows the great Professor ‘mixing his famous “Blue Blazer” at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York, in the “Roaring Fifties”’ - that would be the 1850’s and the quote from the great Harry Craddock in 1930, who himself was responsible for spreading the Martini gospel.
Jeremiah (Jerry) P. Thomas [1830-85] the father of American mixology, because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktails across the United States. In addition to writing the seminal work on cocktails, his creativity and showmanship established the image of the bartender as a creative professional. As such, he was often nicknamed "Professor" Jerry Thomas.
Thomas was born in 1830 in Sackets Harbor, New York. He learned bartending in New Haven, Connecticut before sailing for California during its mid-1800s Gold Rush. While in California he worked as a bartender, gold prospector and minstrel show manager. He moved back to New York City in 1851, where he opened a saloon below Barnum's American Museum; it would be the first of four saloons he would run in New York City over his lifetime. After a time running his first bar he went on the road for several years, working as the head bartender at hotels and saloons in St. Louis, Missouri, Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco, California, Charleston, South Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana. At one point he toured Europe, carrying along a set of solid-silver bar tools. He was well known for his showmanship as a bartender: he developed elaborate and flashy techniques of mixing cocktails, sometimes while juggling bottles, cups and mixers. He often wore flashy jewelry and had bar tools and cups embellished with precious stones and metals.
At the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, Thomas was earning $100 a week-more than the Vice President of the United States. Upon returning to New York City, he became head bartender at the Metropolitan hotel before opening his most famous bar on Broadway, between 21st and 22nd Streets, in 1866. Thomas was one of the first to display the work of Thomas Nast, and in his famous saloon he hung caricatures of the political and theatrical figures; one notable drawing, now lost, was of Thomas "in nine tippling postures colossally". He died in New York City of apoplexy in 1885 at the age of 55. His death was marked by substantial obituaries across the United States. In their obituary, the New York Times noted Thomas was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was very popular among all classes."
References: Simon Khachadourian, The Cocktail Shaker, 11. Eberhard Buehler, Viniana, 24-32. André Simon, Bibliotheca Vinaria, 10, Bibliotheca Gastronomica,1461. Bitting, Gastronomic Bibliography, 459 (later editions). Cagle & Stafford, American Books on Food and Drink, 743. Noling, Beverage Literature: A Bibliography, 403. Michael Inman, Susan Jaffe Tane Curator of Rare Books, New York Public Library, January 16, 2024, New to the Rare Book Division: The First Modern Cocktail Manual’.
Large duodecimo (book size 19.2x13.8cm), pp. [2] 244 [8 (publisher’s ads)] [2]. In publisher’s green ribbed cloth, decoratively embossed in blind, spine with gilt decoration and lettered title ‘How to Mix Drinks’ with publisher’s name to tail, upper board with gilt vignette of a man raising a cocktail glass and smoking a cigar, and gilt lettering ‘The Bar Tender’s Guide’ ‘Price $1.50.’, rear panel with the publisher’s logo in blind, yellow endpapers with publisher’s ads printed on them, all edges trimmed. Condition: Very good, small patch of rubbing to front cloth, not affecting gilt, minor wear to corners and spine ends, slightly more so with small loss to head of spine, internally very good, it appears to have been neatly re-cased, light spotting, evidence of damp stain to lower third of pages. Ref: 112469 Price: HK$ 140,000
Illustrated and containing 236 recipes by Jerry Thomas and 463 recipes by Christian Schultz. In addition to listings of recipes for Punches, Sours, Slings, Cobblers, Shrubs, Toddies, Flips, and a variety of other types of mixed drinks were ten recipes for drinks referred to as ‘Cocktails’. A key ingredient which differentiated ‘cocktails’ from other drinks in this compendium was the use of bitters as an ingredient, although it is not used in many modern cocktail recipes.
‘‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas, principal baertender at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York and the Planter’s House, St. Louis, a pioneer cocktail exponent, who helped to spread the fashion for the mixed drink during the Victorian era. Thomas, at the height of his fame in the ‘Roaring Fifties’, toured Europe in 1859 with a set of sterling silver cups, standard mixing practice at the time, trailing a stream of liquid flame as he compounded his legendary Blue Blazer cocktail’ - a powerful concoction of whiskey and water ignited and passed between two glasses so that, "if well done this will have the appearance of a continued stream of liquid fire." ‘(for the novice, practice with cold water was recommended).’ – Simon Khachadourian, The Cocktail Shaker [2000].
Jerry Thomas’ New York Times obituary noted that he was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was popular among all classes." The introduction to the present volume characterizes Thomas, "his very name is synonymous, in the lexicon of mixed drinks, with all that is rare and original." That reputation endures today, more than a century after this guide first appeared in print. First Edition, with the publication date "1862" present on the title page, and the stereographer and printer noted on the copyright page. In the First State binding priced "$1.50" and with the gilt illustration. Later states have the price raised to $2.00, then $2.50. The first issue appears to have been simultaneously published under two titles: "The Bar-tender's Guide, a complete cyclopaedia of Plain and Fancy Drinks" and the present title, "How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion", rare in any state, particularly in the desirable first-issue binding with the gilt man raising a glass and priced "$1.50.".
Referring again to the 1930 ‘Savoy Cocktail Book’, the second page of which shows the great Professor ‘mixing his famous “Blue Blazer” at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York, in the “Roaring Fifties”’ - that would be the 1850’s and the quote from the great Harry Craddock in 1930, who himself was responsible for spreading the Martini gospel.
Jeremiah (Jerry) P. Thomas [1830-85] the father of American mixology, because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktails across the United States. In addition to writing the seminal work on cocktails, his creativity and showmanship established the image of the bartender as a creative professional. As such, he was often nicknamed "Professor" Jerry Thomas.
Thomas was born in 1830 in Sackets Harbor, New York. He learned bartending in New Haven, Connecticut before sailing for California during its mid-1800s Gold Rush. While in California he worked as a bartender, gold prospector and minstrel show manager. He moved back to New York City in 1851, where he opened a saloon below Barnum's American Museum; it would be the first of four saloons he would run in New York City over his lifetime. After a time running his first bar he went on the road for several years, working as the head bartender at hotels and saloons in St. Louis, Missouri, Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco, California, Charleston, South Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana. At one point he toured Europe, carrying along a set of solid-silver bar tools. He was well known for his showmanship as a bartender: he developed elaborate and flashy techniques of mixing cocktails, sometimes while juggling bottles, cups and mixers. He often wore flashy jewelry and had bar tools and cups embellished with precious stones and metals.
At the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, Thomas was earning $100 a week-more than the Vice President of the United States. Upon returning to New York City, he became head bartender at the Metropolitan hotel before opening his most famous bar on Broadway, between 21st and 22nd Streets, in 1866. Thomas was one of the first to display the work of Thomas Nast, and in his famous saloon he hung caricatures of the political and theatrical figures; one notable drawing, now lost, was of Thomas "in nine tippling postures colossally". He died in New York City of apoplexy in 1885 at the age of 55. His death was marked by substantial obituaries across the United States. In their obituary, the New York Times noted Thomas was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was very popular among all classes."
References: Simon Khachadourian, The Cocktail Shaker, 11. Eberhard Buehler, Viniana, 24-32. André Simon, Bibliotheca Vinaria, 10, Bibliotheca Gastronomica,1461. Bitting, Gastronomic Bibliography, 459 (later editions). Cagle & Stafford, American Books on Food and Drink, 743. Noling, Beverage Literature: A Bibliography, 403. Michael Inman, Susan Jaffe Tane Curator of Rare Books, New York Public Library, January 16, 2024, New to the Rare Book Division: The First Modern Cocktail Manual’.
Large duodecimo (book size 19.2x13.8cm), pp. [2] 244 [8 (publisher’s ads)] [2]. In publisher’s green ribbed cloth, decoratively embossed in blind, spine with gilt decoration and lettered title ‘How to Mix Drinks’ with publisher’s name to tail, upper board with gilt vignette of a man raising a cocktail glass and smoking a cigar, and gilt lettering ‘The Bar Tender’s Guide’ ‘Price $1.50.’, rear panel with the publisher’s logo in blind, yellow endpapers with publisher’s ads printed on them, all edges trimmed. Condition: Very good, small patch of rubbing to front cloth, not affecting gilt, minor wear to corners and spine ends, slightly more so with small loss to head of spine, internally very good, it appears to have been neatly re-cased, light spotting, evidence of damp stain to lower third of pages. Ref: 112469 Price: HK$ 140,000