"A BOOK THAT COULD BE RELIED ON IN ANY BIBULOUS CONTINGENCY": DUFFY'S OFFICIAL MIXER'S MANUAL, 1934 FIRST EDITION

DUFFY, Patrick Gavin. The Official Mixer's Manual. New York: Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, (1934). Octavo, post-bound, original cloth, original dust jacket. $1600.

First edition of this classic collection of cocktails by the head bartender of New York's Ashland House for 12 years, published shortly after Repeal, in scarce original dust jacket.

Duffy writes, "It is one of my fondest hopes that the highball will again take its place as the leading American drink. I admit to being prejudiced about this—it was I who first brought the highball to America, in 1895. Although the distinction is claimed by the Parker House in Boston, I was finally given due credit for this innovation in the New York Times of not many years ago." He also notes that he has prepared and served drinks to J.P. Morgan, E.H. Sothern, Jim Corbett, Oscar Wilde, Edwin Booth, and Cecil B. DeMille. The publisher describes the volume as "practically indestructible. The cover is a waterproof fabricoid. The binding post which holds the pages will not be injured by water. The pages themselves are waterproof."

Book near-fine, scarce dust jacket with shallow chip to head of toned spine, front panel bright, extremely good. Desirable in dust jacket.