The Grolier Club was established in 1884 by a group of seven New York City book collectors with the object, as stated its constitution, of "literary study and promotion of the arts pertaining to the production of books." The House Committee is one of the original committees and is charged with the supervision, care and maintenance of the Clubhouse. The various Curators between 1884 and 1958 executed many recommendations of the Committee, as did the Librarians in succeeding decades. During its first few years the Club occupied the ground floor of a building at Madison Avenue and 26-27th Streets. It then purchased the lot at 29 East 32nd Street; the Club was incorporated in 1888 to facilitate this purchase. The House Committee commissioned a three-story Romanesque-style building from Charles W. Romeyn that was completed in 1889. In November 1913 a building site subcommittee of the House Committee, with Harris D. Colt chairing both, was charged with searching for a site for a new building further uptown. The Committee selected the site at 47 East 60th Street and commissioned Bertram Goodhue to design the building. The Club occupied it in late 1917.
Minor improvements were implemented during the 1920s. Major renovations took place in 1954-55, 1957-1958, and 1963-1964. The firm of Holden, Egan, Wilson and Corser, whose lead partner was Club member Arthur C. Holden, carried these out. A Renovation Planning Committee oversaw the extensive renovation of the exhibition gallery and basement in 1987-1988. Funds for this project were raised by an ad hoc Subcommittee on Planning. The renovation was the work of architect and Club member Byron Bell of Farrell, Bell & Lennard and the Koren-DiResta Construction Co. Other Club members and librarians who played major roles in these renovations include but are not limited to: Alexander Davidson (1958-1959), Gabriel Austin, Frederic P. Adams, Donald Hyde (1963-1964), Robert Nikirk, Daniell D. Chabris (Chair of Planning Committee), George Fletcher (Chair of House Committee), and Club President Thomas Tanselle (1987-1988).
From the description of Records, 1884- (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78682151
