Zamorano Club

The Zamorano Club is a Southern Californian organization for bibliophiles and manuscript collectors. It was founded in 1928, and sponsors lectures and publications on book-related topics.

Biography

The Zamorano Club is a Southern Californian organization for bibliophiles and manuscript collectors. It was founded in 1928, and sponsors lectures and publications on book-related topics. The Club was named in honor of Agustín V. Zamorano (1798-1842), a provisional governor of Alta California and the state's first printer. It is club tradition to present keepsakes to Club members at meetings, resulting in a variety of printed mementos ranging from pamphlets to small books; sometimes the items are reproductions of historical documents.

The Zamorano Club has had its meetings at various places since its founding, including the University Club, the Treasure Room within USC's Doheny Library, and other locations. As of January 2009, the club resides at the Women's City Club of Pasadena. In May 1991, coincident with the move from USC, it was decided to put the Club's book collection in storage at Occidental College Library. Subsequently the Board of Governors decided to dispose of the collection, and the books were accordingly sold at Pacific Book Auction Galleries (sale 180, 15 February 1999). The proceeds from the sale were placed in the Club's endowment fund.

Early members include A. Gaylord Beaman (insurance), Garner A. Beckett (cement manufacturer), William W. Clary (attorney), Arthur M. Ellis (attorney), W. Irving Way (bookman), Robert O. Schad (Curator of Rare Books, Henry E. Huntington Library), and Robert E. Cowan (Librarian of William Andrews Clark Library). Lawrence Clark Powell (former UCLA University Librarian), Ward Ritchie (a fine press printer), and others have been members of the Zamorano Club as well.

Biography of the Zamorano Club

The Zamorano Club was created in Los Angeles on 25 January 1928. Named from the first known printer in California, Agustin Vicente Zamorano, the Club's primary purpose was "to establish contact and encourage exchange of thought among its members, who shall be men interested in books." Secondary purposes included encouraging book arts, building a collection to support that aim, and publishing fine press works printed in limited numbers.