Wehman Bros, New York, 1912. Paperback. Good. This rare, pre-Prohibition cocktail book was issued by novelty book publishers, the Wehman Brothers. With a two-books-in-one design—91 pages of recipes, followed by 32 pages of toasts, each with their own pagination—the Bartender’s Guide is a handy, compact (4” x 5”) resource for spirited occasions. In addition to cocktails like the Balaklava Nectar, the Fedora, the Stone Fence, and Spread Eagle punch (“for a social party”), there are also instructions for making beers, bitters, syrups, wines, cordials, and extracts. Measurements are provided with some now outdated usages and spellings—pony glass and drachm, for example. The toasts are well-worth the perusal. Categorized for seemingly any and all people or celebration, they include clever quotes for everything from blessing newlyweds, honoring firefighters, and boasting patriotism to silencing chatterboxes and denouncing fake friends. The Wehman Brothers first published a cocktail book in 1891, and this 1912 edition seems to be modeled after it but was issued in two formats—one with only the cocktail portion and this one also including the toasts. Printed on high acid paper, the pages are toning and brittle, requiring delicate handling. Some minor staining to the spine. Chipping and closed tears throughout, most noticeably to the latter third of the book, the only impingement on text being to advertisements at the rear.
