"upper-shelf" = 'high quality' not in OED?

[Joel S. Berson]

Should "upper-shelf" = 'high quality' (analogous to "top drawer",
1905-) be in the OED?

I do not see it as a phrase or compound.  But here is one instance,
under "night":  "1993 R. J. WALLER Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend i. 5 The
cool patrician face coming only from an upper-shelf gene pool, the
night-black hair and good skin."  This surely has the sense I
mean.  Googling seems unprofitable -- too much cabinetry and not any
linguistics.  Can it be found besides in Cedar Bend?  And who
discusses the origin of "top drawer"?

In 1887, Marianne Silsbee (of Salem, Mass.) wrote:  "The common name
of this gingerbread was 'upper shelf' and 'lower shelf.' 'Upper
shelf' had butter in it, 'lower shelf' had none; 'upper shelf' was
three cents a cake, 'lower shelf' was two; and both were so delicious
that whoever chose the one longed also for the other, but youthful
funds were limited."

Joel

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