The '''Hobby Club''' was established in New York City in 1908 as an exclusive gentleman's club for people with an amateur's hobby or special interest. The original number of members could not be more than 50 men. In effect, this was an opportunity to showcase their special "[[Cabinetcabinet of curiosities]]" and special collections of armour, coins, precious stones and [[Incunable]] to the other members at their annual dinners.

"The Hobby Club, incorporated by a number of well-known New Yorkers, will hold its first dinner at the [[Metropolitan Club (New York City)|Metropolitan Club]] on the evening of Dec. 28. The club's membership is limited to fifty, and to become eligible one must mount some well defined hobby. So enthusiastic have the members become that it is now planned to give dinners, at which the hobbies will be discussed, at least once a month until April. There is even talk about building a clubhouse. That the organization will be a success seems assured, as scores have sought to become members."<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/12/17/104886809.pdf Riders of Hobbies to Dine each Month; With Plenty of Chances for Every Member to Talk of His Pet Subject.] New York Times. December 17, 1911.

The Fourth Dinner of the Hobby Club was on September 27, 1912, in the home of [[Theodore N. Vail]] who gave a presentation on "The Intercommunication of Intelligence" at his country home, [[Speedwell Farms]], in [[Lyndonville, Vermont]]. "In the evening we had the club dinner, with Mr. Vail as speaker of the occasion. His subject, "The Intercommunication of Intelligence," enabled him to draw in a most interesting fashion upon his own reminiscences of the great work of establishing telegraphic and telephonic connection between all parts of the continent."<ref>[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101060744370 Annals of the Hobby Club of New York City, 1912-1920]. Hobby Club, New York. [New York] Priv. print. [The De Vinne press] 1920. Page 24.</ref>

The Fifth Dinner was on October 31, 1912, in the home of Professor [[Bashford Dean]] and his presentation on "Ancient Armor" in [[Riverdale, New York]]. The Sixth Dinner was on December 19, 1912, was hosted by MR. [[John D. Crimins]] at the [[Metropolitan Club (New York City)|Metropolitan Club]] and his presentation was on "Early New York".

Through the courtesy of the [Joan of Arc] Statue Committee, the Club held a special meeting on the evening of Saturday, January 25, 1913, in the [[American Numismatic Society]] Building, to view the [[Joan of Arc]] Loan Exhibition. Dr. [[George F. Kunz]] presented to each member a special Hobby Club edition of the very artistic illustrated catalogue. The members later were entertained at the Hispano-American Museum, where their fellow member, Mr. [[Archer M. Huntington]], acted as host and guide, showing and explaining the many rare and beautiful art and literary treasures. The Seventh Dinner was held on January 30, 1913, by Mr. [[Alvin W. Krech]] who gave a talk on "[[Incunabula]]". The Eighth Dinner was held on March 20, 1913, and hosted by Mr. [[George A. Plimpton]] who gave a talk on "Education Before Printing as Endorsed by Original Manuscripts". The Ninth Dinner was held on May l, 1913, and hosted by Dr. George F. Kunz, who gave a talk on "Precious Stones" at the [[Union Club of the City of New York|Union Club]]. The Tenth Dinner was held on December 18, 1913, and hosted by Mr. [[R. T. Haines Halsey]] who spoke about "American Arts and Crafts of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries" at the [[Metropolitan Club (New York City)|Metropolitan Club]]. The Eleventh Dinner was held on February 19, 1914, and hosted by Mr. [[Winston H. Hagen]] who spoke about 'By-ways of Book Collecting'. The address was delivered by Mr. Halsey at his residence, No. 64 West 55th Street.

The Twelfth Dinner was held on March 26, 1914, and hosted by MR. [[David Wagstaff]] who spoke on "Books on Angling" at his home on No. 26 West 52nd Street. The Thirteenth Dinner was held on April 23, 1914, and hosted by MR. [[Percy R Pyne]] who spoke on 'Old Prints of New York". The Fourteenth Dinner was held on November 20, 1914, and hosted by PROF. [[Edwin R. A. Seligman]] who spoke about "Curiosities of Economic Literature" at his home at No. 324 West 86th Street. The Fifteenth Dinner was held on January 12, 1915, at the [[Metropolitan Club (New York City)|Metropolitan Club]] and hosted by MR. [[Rowland G. Hazard]], who spoke on "Prehistoric Implements". The Sixteenth Dinner was held on February 12, 1915, and hosted by MR. [[Phoenix Ingraham]] who spoke on "Thackeray and Stevenson" at his home at No. 80 Irving Place. The Seventeenth Dinner was held on April 23, 1915, and hosted by MR. [[Edward T. Newell]], who spoke on "Ancient Greek and Roman Coins' at the Metropolitan Club. The Eighteenth Dinner was held on December 16, 1915 and hosted by MR. [[Henry E. Huntington]] who spoke on "Books and Manuscripts of My Library" from his home at No. 2 East 57th Street. The Nineteenth Dinner was held on January 18, 1916, and hosted by MR. [[Henry S. Van Duzer]] who spoke on "Thackerayana" from his home at No. 30 East 55th Street. The Twentieth Dinner was held on February 17, 1916, and hosted by MR. [[William B. Osgood Field]] who spoke on "Some Illustrators of the Nineteenth Century" from his home at No. 645 Fifth Avenue. The Twenty-first Dinner was held on March 30, 1916, and hosted by MR. [[Albert Gallatin]] who spoke on "Original Drawings" from his home on No. 7 East 67th Street. The Twenty-second Dinner was held on November 9, 1916, and hosted by DR. [[Charles William Wallace]] who spoke on "Shakespeariana" at the Metropolitan Club. The Twenty-third Dinner was held on January 25, 1917, and hosted by PROF. [[David Eugene Smith]] who spoke on "MlRABILIA MATHEMATICA" at the Union Club. The Twenty-fourth Dinner was held on February 22, 1917, and hosted by MR. [[Charles Allen Munn|Charles A. Munn]] who spoke on his collection of "Washington Portraits and Distinguished Americans of the Eighteenth Century" at his home at No. 62 East 55th Street. The Twenty-fifth Dinner was held on December 6, 1917, and hosted by MR. [[William K. Bixby]] who showed his collection of "Unpublished Autograph Letters and Manuscripts" in his home at No. 2 East 57th Street.

* Dr. [[George F. Kunz]]. "Shakespeare and Precious Stones" and "[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/102831#page/13/mode/1up Ivory and the Elephant]". These were special Hobby Club editions limited to the membership of the Clubclub and each copy bearing the printed name of the member for whom it was intended. Dr. Kunz' personal copy is held in the [[United States Geological Survey Library]].

* [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101060744370 Annals of the Hobby Club of New York City, 1912-1920]. Hobby Club, New York. [New York] Priv. print. [The De Vinne press] 1920. Note: "One hundred copies printed for members of the Hobby club." Preceded by Papers of the Hobby club, 1911-19121911–1912. Physical Description: 8 p. ., 9-54 p.&nbsp;24&nbsp;cm.

* Hobby club, New York, William Peterfield Trent, John Canfield Tomlinson, Darwin P. Kingsley, and Bruce Rogers. 1912. Papers of the Hobby Club, 1911-19121911–1912. [Cambridge, Mass.]: Priv. Print. [The Riverside Press]. Half-title: First year book of the Hobby Club of New York City. "One hundred copies printed for members of the Hobby Club." Continued as Annals of the Hobby Club of New York City, 1912-19201912–1920. Officers.--Committees.--Charter members.--Constitution and by-laws.--The first year of the Hobby Club.--A talk about Defoe [by W.P. Trent]--The sun-dial [by J.C. Tomlinson]--Shakespeariana [by D.P. Kingsley]--Members.--Necrology.

* Hobby Club of New York, Sulgrave Institution, and Vechten Waring Co. 1920. Exhibition of bookes &c. by and aboute the establishers of Plimoth Plantation and of the Virginia Companie: who set up the first representatiuerepresentative assembly of free men : 1620 1920. [New York, N.Y.]: Imprinted at New York by Vechten VVaring Companie. Another issue of this broadside has at foot: Printed for the meeting of the Hobby Club held at the residence of Henry Edwards Huntington, LL.D., Fifth Avenue at Fifty-Seventh Street, New York City, on the evening of Forefather's Day, Tuesday, the twenty-first of December, 1920, in commemoration of the tercentenary of the landing of the Pilgrims.

[[Category:1911 establishments in New York (state)City]]