Proceedings of the R.W. Grand Encampment of I.O.O.F. of California, Volume I

San Francisco, 1855–1862. 7 inches; 12mo. Full black straight-grain leather, gilt six-pointed star to front cover within gilt-ruled border; gilt-ruled border to rear cover. Spine in five compartments, gilt tent motif, gilt title and dates, gilt rules. Speckled edges. 372pp. continuously paginated, plus a 30-page digest at rear. Most sessions illustrated with the Grand Encampment seal; one additional in-text illustration. Officer/membership tables present in most years. Volume title page at front.

Contains a complete run of eight separately-printed annual sessions bound together as issued, each retaining its own title page and imprint: Organization Session & First Annual Session (San Francisco, 1855); Second Annual Session (Valentine & Co., 1856); Third Annual Session (Frank Eastman, 1857); Fourth Annual Session (Towne & Co., 1858); Fifth (Agnew & Deffebach, 1859); Sixth & Seventh (Frank Eastman, 1860–61); Eighth (Agnew & Deffebach, 1862).

Condition: Very Good. Front cover cupped; cracking near head and foot of spine (approx. 2" each side); chipping and small losses at spine tips; corners worn. Margins uneven across sessions, some trimmed very close; foxing varies by year, with two sessions heavily toned. The majority of the text clean and bright, no markings found.

Significance: Documents the founding decade of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship in California, opening with the Grand Encampment's organization at Sacramento on January 8, 1855 — six years after the base Order's 1849 arrival in California — through its eighth annual session in 1862. OCLC records at least one individual session report, and various microfilm copies of the compilation. No market comparable located. Presumed scarce.