First Edition, Fourth Printing of The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer. The first American Cookbook that portrays the art of cooking as something other than a chore. Originally printed in 1931 by A.C. Clayton Company, the first printing totaled 3,000 copies, mostly sold from the direct efforts of Ms. Rombauer (a widow at the time) by calling on individual book stores in the St. Louis area. In 1935 she negotiated an agreement with the Bobbs Merrill Company of Indianapolis to take over publishing responsibilities. This Fourth Printing is the first printing by Bobbs Merrill who vigorously promoted the book. Still in print with the most recent 9th Edition being issued in 2019, The Joy of Cooking has sold over 20 million copies.