The Club of Odd Volumes

On January 29, 1887 The Club of Odd Volumes was formed on Mr. Vernon Street in Beacon Hill, with the objectives being “…to promote an interest in, and a love for whatever will tend to make literature attractive as given in the form of printed and illustrated volumes, to mutally assist in making researches and collections of first and rare editions, and to promote elegance in the production of Odd Volumes.”

Here’s more from an article by Percival Merritt in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, Volume 9 (where you can read more):

In the early winter of the year 1886 several book lovers and book collectors in Boston who felt that there were undoubtedly a number of men of similar tastes and pursuits in the community sent out a circular letter proposing the organization of a club composed of those with interests kindred to their own Responses in favor of such an association were received from twenty men eighteen of whom met at Young’s Hotel on the 29th of January 1887 and proceeded truly and well to lay the foundations of The Club of Odd Volumes.

At this first meeting executive officers were chosen a committee was appointed to draft the constitution and by laws and the questions of the name of the club and the number of its members discussed At the second meeting a month later the organization was completed by the adoption of a constitution and by laws the name of The Club of Odd Volumes was agreed upon and the limit of membership placed at thirty one following the example of the famous Roxburghe Club at its inception In the first article of the constitution the Club declared its profession of faith in these words The objects shall be to promote an interest in and a love for whatever will tend to make literature attractive as given in the form of printed and illustrated volumes to mutually assist in making researches and collections of first and rare editions and to promote elegance in the production of Odd Volumes.

Today the club apparently still meets at 77 Mt. Vernon Street in Beacon Hill, where it’s been since 1936, and its made up of members of the literary and academic society. VERY little can be found online about it (hush hush). Notable past members have included Winston Churchill, Theodore L. de Vinne, William Addison Dwiggins, Frederic Goudy, Rockwell Kent, Lawrence Lowell, Bruce Rogers, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rudolf Ruzicka, Daniel Berkeley Updike, and Walter Muir Whitehill.