Scarce First Edition of Krafft's The American Distiller

Lot Details & Additional Photographs

Michael Krafft. 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: Printed for Thomas Dobson, at the Stone House, no. 41, South Second Street, Archibald Bartram, printer, 1804. First edition. Full leather, spine gilt-ruled with gilt-titled leather label, all edges speckled. 8vo; [13], 10-151, [22], 152-219, [1]pp. Dedication to Thomas Jefferson; complete with (2) folding plates; errata p. [8]. Bitting p. 265; Shaw & Shoemaker 6606; Sabin 38294.

8 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.

Michael Krafft of Bristol, Pennsylvania received a patent for still construction in October 1801. His still designs, "which have met with universal and unbounded approbation and success," are described in his book, along with information on fermentation, malts, improving spirits, and more (advertisement, p. [5]). There are also nearly (40) pages of recipes for drinks such as angelica water, wormwood water (absinthe), plague water, pennyroyal water, and of course, usquebaugh (whiskey). Krafft wrote the dedication to Jefferson, "the munificent patron of the sciences," in part to "avail myself of the protection which the name of a Jefferson . . . could afford to a work of this kind" (advertisement, p. [5]). Sabin calls this "One of the earliest works of its class" (vol. 9, p. 548). A rare copy of the first American book on distilling; especially scarce at auction.

This copy was once owned by Brigadier General Joseph S. Allison (1787-1861) of Orange County, North Carolina. Allison served in the War of 1812 and held numerous positions in North Carolina including state representative and Clerk of the Court for Orange County.

Sturdy boards with rubbing, scuffing, a few minor stains, and worn corners; the backstrip with light creasing and chipping, and with some mild wear to spine ends; text block with general age and handling wear throughout including occasional foxing and toning, infrequent light grime or tiny stain (including a very minor damp stain at lower margin of title), and a rare small edge tear; endpapers with pencil writing and minor binding stains, with only superficial cracking at front hinge; folding plates with offsetting and each impacting surrounding leaves with offsetting and indentations from folds, the first plate with one 1 5/8-in. tear, the second with a closed tear to margin; three leaves with a small loss, only one having a slight impact on text. An overall extremely bright and clean copy. Very good.