Beverages, Past and Present: An Historical Sketch of Their Production, together with a Study of the Customs Connected with their Use
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1908. First Edition. Two octavos, vi, 563; iv, 514 pages, publisher's original gilt lettered red cloth covered boards. Top edges gilt. Previous owner's neat bookplate in each volume. An early 20th-century survey of the history, production, and cultural use of beverages around the world. Issued in two volumes by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in 1908, this is not a recipe book but a wide-ranging study of drinking customs, trade, and social practice, covering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages across numerous countries and historical periods. Blending gastronomy, social history, folklore, and material culture, the set has enduring appeal for collectors of food and drink history, wine and spirits literature, and early scholarly studies of everyday life and custom.
Provenance: From the library of Dr. William Woys Weaver, acclaimed American food historian and author, acquired directly from his historic home, Roughwood, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Some scattered foxing to endpapers, minimal rubbing and wear, else in very good + condition. Item #267
Price: $100.00