First Edition of the First American Book on Distilling
American Distiller. or, the Theory and Practice of Distilling, According to the Latest Discoveries and Improvements, Including the Most Improved Methods of Constructing Stills, and of Rectification.
Philadelphia: Thomas Dobson, 1804.
The American Distiller. or, the Theory and Practice of Distilling, According to the Latest Discoveries and Improvements, Including the Most Improved Methods of Constructing Stills, and of Rectification. Philadelphia: Thomas Dobson, 1804.
Full Description:
KRAFFT, Michael. The American Distiller or, the Theory and Practice of Distilling, According to the Latest Discoveries and Improvements, Including the Most Improved Methods of Constructing Stills, and of Rectification. Philadelphia: Thomas Dobson, 1804.
First edition of the first American work on distillation. Octavo in fours (8 1/4 x 4 7/8 inches; 210 x 123 mm). [4], [1]-151, [22], 152-219, [3, blank] pp. With twenty-two unnumbered pages between pages 151 and 152 with the chapter title The Manner of Making Malt as described by Sir Robert Murray. Illustrated with five figures on two engraved folding plates. Engraved tables in the text. This book has been dedicated to Thomas Jefferson.
Contemporary full tree sheep, invisibly rebacked with original spine. Red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. Spine ruled in gilt. Board edges tooled in blind. Edges speckled brown. Boards with some light wear. Corners a bit bumped. Boards slightly bowed. Pages foxed and toned as usual for American paper of this time. A small closed tear to initial blank. With an ownership signature dated 1812 on front free endpaper of Colonel Philo Mills (1774-1863), a tavern keeper in Kent, CT. A second signature of the same name on front blank. Overall a very good copy of this important book on American distilling.
Sabin calls this "One of the earliest works of its class"
This book contains instructions on the art of distilling as well as almost 40 pages of recipes for various alcohols and drinks such as angelica water, wormwood water (absinthe), plague water, pennyroyal water, and, usquebaugh (whiskey).
Michael Krafft of Bristol, Pennsylvania, received a fourteen-year patent in 1801 for an improvement in stills and by the time this present book was published, 217 distilleries were using his plans.
In 1804 Jefferson's reputation as a man of science attracted the attention of a young author, Michael Krafft, who requested permission to dedicate his American Distiller to Jefferson "as a safeguard against its falling into the general wreck of oblivion."
Jefferson not only agreed to the dedication, but went on to endorse the subject of Krafft's study: "I see too with great satisfaction every example of bending science to the useful purposes of life. hitherto Chemistry has scarcely deigned to look to the occupations of domestic life. when she shall have made intelligible to the ordinary housholder the philosophy of making bread, butter, cheese, soap, beer, cyder, wine, vinegar &c. these daily comforts will keep us ever mindful of our obligations to her. the art of distilling which you propose to explain, besides it's houshold uses, is valuable to the agriculturalist, as it enables him to put his superfluous grain into a form which will bear long transportation to markets to which the raw material could never get." (Monticello dot org).
Sabin 38294. Shaw, 6606.
HBS 69699.
$6,000.
Price: $6,000.00
Item #69699