In 1912, a group of San Francisco bibliophiles proposed an exhibition of locally produced fine press books for the forthcoming Panama-Pacific International Exposition. When advised that their proposal would carry more weight if made by an official organization, they founded the Book Club of California. Though the envisioned exhibition was never realized, the Book Club—and its mission to promote the art of the book—still thrives. This show imagines what might have been on view in that original display.

The Book Club of California is a non-profit, membership-based organization founded in 1912. The Club supports book making, fine printing, design, typography, illustration, literature, and scholarship through a dynamic series of publications, public programs, and exhibitions related to the history and literature of California and the West. Visit www.bccbooks.org to learn more.