The Club of Odd Volumes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Club of Odd Volumes
77 Mt. Vernon Street
General information
Location	Beacon Hill
Address	77 Mt. Vernon Street
Town or city	Boston
Country	United States
Coordinates	42°21′30″N 71°04′01″W / 42.358458°N 71.067054°W / 42.358458; -71.067054

The Club of Odd Volumes is a special club in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It was started in 1887 for people who really love books and collecting them. It's a private club, and only men can become members.

What is the Club of Odd Volumes?

A Club for Book Lovers

The Club of Odd Volumes was founded on January 29, 1887. Its main goal was to help people enjoy literature and beautiful books. Members wanted to learn more about rare books and how books are made. They also aimed to create elegant "odd volumes," which means unique or special books.

The word odd here doesn't mean strange. It's an old way of saying various or unmatched. So, each member of the club is like a unique "odd volume" in a collection.

How the Club Started

The idea for the club came from an English book-loving group called the Sette of Odd Volumes. George Clulow, who led the English group, even suggested the name for the Boston club.

At first, the Club of Odd Volumes was mostly a dinner club. It was a place for members to meet and share their interests. Over time, it grew to include many other activities.

What the Club Does

Meetings and Events

The club holds regular dinners and lunches for its members. They also host lectures where experts talk about books, art, and printing. The club collects and publishes its own books. They also create special exhibits to show off interesting literary items.

Famous Visitors

Many famous people have visited the Club of Odd Volumes over the years.

• In 1906, the famous writer H. G. Wells visited after a dinner.
• In 1921, the amazing magician Harry Houdini gave a talk about books on magic.
• In 1923, poet Amy Lowell and actress Ada Dwyer Russell were guests. Amy Lowell spoke about the poet John Keats.
• In 1949, Winston Churchill, a very important leader, had a private lunch at the club.

Membership and Controversy

The Club of Odd Volumes is one of the few major book clubs in the United States that only allows men to join. Women are often invited to give talks and share their knowledge with the club. However, they cannot become full members. This rule has led to some discussions in the book-collecting world.

The Club's Home

The club has been located at 77 Mt. Vernon Street in Beacon Hill since 1936. This building used to be the home of a well-known artist named Sarah Wyman Whitman. Before 1936, the club rented other buildings nearby on Mt. Vernon Street.

Library and Publications

A Special Collection

The Club of Odd Volumes has a large library filled with old and rare books. They also have an archive of letterpress printing, which is an old way of printing books. This collection is only available for club members to use. It contains about 2,200 different book titles.

Members and Their Interests

The club currently has a maximum of 87 members, all men. Many members are connected to Boston's universities, museums, and libraries. They often include people who collect rare books, museum curators, scholars, printers, and experts in typography (the art of arranging type). The club continues to put on exhibitions about printing, typography, and old books.

Notable Members

Many important people have been members of the Club of Odd Volumes. Here are some of them:

Gallery

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  An exhibition at the Boston Art Club in 1889.

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  A bookplate from the club, 1904.

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  The Club of Odd Volumes building on Mt. Vernon Street in 1911.

See also

• List of American gentlemen's clubs
• Books in the United States