The Savoy Cocktail Book, Art Deco Masterpiece from 1936
Craddock, Harry. The Savoy Cocktail Book. New and Enlarged Edition. 1936. Book is in very good condition; dust jacket is in very good minus condition—jacket shows a repaired tear to the front cover, minor chipping to the upper and lower spine, and minor fraying. All in all, it’s an exceptionally well-preserved copy of this art deco masterpiece. Decorations by Gilbert Rumbold.
This book is an example of the law of unintended consequences. For its publication, we have Prohibition to thank, as it prompted this book’s author to return to the United Kingdom, where he became the most celebrated bartender of his era, practicing his art at the uber-glam Savoy in London. This cocktail book of seven hundred fifty recipes followed. First released in 1930, it became the gold standard of cocktail books. This new and enlarged edition published in 1933 contains additional recipes and an updated cover design, switching out the austere silver for a festive red, green, and yellow-based design. An art deco masterpiece.
“If everyone knew even a little about the absorbing subject of absorbing alcohol there would be even less Prohibition in the United States than there is now.”
--Harry Craddock