Finding Aid to the Gamut Club Collection MS.548

James Foster, Anna Liza Posas
Library and Archives at the Autry
2008
210 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
rroom@theautry.org


Contributing Institution: Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Gamut Club Collection
Creator: Draa, Charles Clifton
Creator: Lummis, Charles Fletcher
Creator: Gamut Club (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: MS.548
Physical Description: 25 folder [3 boxes] 25 folders, 4 guest registers
Date (inclusive): 1906 - 1947
Date (bulk): 1906-1932
Abstract: The Gamut Club was founded in 1904 by L.E. Behymer and a group of Los Angeles musicians. The membership of this musical society was exclusively male and its objective, as described by their librarian, Ben F. Field in 1918, was "brotherhood, assistance to the musical fraternity, and the uplifting of the art." The collection consists of ephemera, institutional records, and Gamut Club guest registers. Much of the collection is related to Charles Clifton Draa who served on the Gamut Club's reception committee and executive board from 1917-1932. Some of the materials also belonged to Lummis. There is also one folder of personal papers belonging to Draa that are unrelated to Gamut Club activities.
Language of Material: English .

Conditions Governing Access

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives  and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation

Gamut Club Collection, 1906-1947, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.548; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Processing History

Processing done by Braun Research Library staff. Revised by James Foster and Anna Liza Posas, 2008. Final processing of collection and publication of finding aid made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Custodial History

Some material in this collection originally came from the manuscript collections of Charles F. Lummis (MS.1) and the Newspaper Clippings Collection (MS.100) held at the Braun Research Library at the Southwest Museum, now part of the Braun Library Collection at the Library and Archives at the Autry. It is unknown when the personal papers of Charles C. Draa were donated to the Library.

Related Archival Materials

Collection of Panoramic Photographs. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
MS.1 Charles Fletcher Lummis Manuscript Collection, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West.
MS.7 Frederick Webb Hodge Manuscript Collection, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West.
Gamut Club photographs, OP.658 and OP. 661, Braun Research Library Photographic Archives, Autry Museum of the American West.

Historical Note

The Gamut Club was founded in 1904 by L.E. Behymer and a group of Los Angeles musicians. The membership of this musical society was exclusively male and its objective, as described by their librarian, Ben F. Field in 1918, was "brotherhood, assistance to the musical fraternity, and the uplifting of the art." Shortly afterwards, the Club broadened the scope of its activities by including other types of artists such as writers, painters, sculptors, filmmakers, and actors.
According to the 1912 Gamut Club yearbook, the Club continued to expand its society by adding "business and professional men of artistic tastes and talents." Charles Fletcher Lummis was a member of the Gamut Club and in 1924 they held a fiesta in his honor. The Club described Lummis as "our most distinguished member."
The Gamut Club building was located on 1044 South Hope Street in Los Angeles and built to meet the needs of their artistic clientele. Their building included a 668 seat theatre, music and banquet room, and artists studios.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by type of the material. Ephemera are in folders 1-11, institutional records in folders 12-24, and the personal papers of Charles Draa are in folder 25. The guest registers are numbered S1-S4 and arranged chronologically.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of ephemera, institutional records, and Gamut Club guest registers. Much of the collection is related to Charles Clifton Draa who served on the Gamut Club's reception committee and executive board from 1917-1932. Some of the materials also belonged to Lummis. There is also one folder of personal papers belonging to Draa that are unrelated to Gamut Club activities.
Ephemera material consists of invitations, announcements, and programs to Gamut Club hosted events. Events include recitals, birthday celebrations, special dinners, plays, meetings, the Los Angeles Grand Opera Association night, and "Ladies' Night" where "every good Gamuteer is expected to bring a Lady or Ladies." There is also a program for California a "scenic allegory" by G. Carl Bronson, which doubles as the Club's 1912 yearbook, providing brief information about the Club and a list of its officers, directors, committees, and members. Another ephemera item is a booklet written on the Club's history by their librarian, Ben F. Field, circa 1918.
Institutional records include correspondence and files of the "Citizen Auditorium Committee;" Draa correspondence; Lummis correspondence and personal papers; list of Club members; resolutions; notes; newspaper articles; and printed lyrics and music to the Club's anthem, "We Are the Gamuteers," written by Draa.
Within the newspaper material is The Damn It Club Occasional "published by the Wives, Sweethearts, and Sisters of the Gamut Club Members." "Called 'Damn It'" because it is what we so often think when we are not allowed to enjoy the 'Music,' 'Art,' and 'Literature' which our Husband, Lovers and Brothers so enthusiastically extol." The clipping includes twenty-four caricatures and opinions of the Club's executive board and members, including Draa and Lummis.
Gamut club guest registers are from 1906–1923 and have handwritten signatures, drawings, and sayings from Club members, guests, and visitors.
Material throughout this collection includes images and names of the Club's building, members, and guest musicians (both male and female). The personal papers of Draa relate to his involvement to the "Al Malaikah Temple" and the "Imperial Council, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine," 1925-1947. They include a photograph with Draa and members of the Imperial council, membership documents, a play manuscript, and correspondence.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence
Business records
Clubs -- California -- Los Angeles
Music -- Societies, etc.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Sources
Programs
Yearbooks
Registers

 

Invitations and announcements circa 1916-1920

 

Programs to Gamut club events 1911-1927

 

Gamut Club Yearbooks, "Sylvan Gambol" 1912 June 29-30

 

Eighteenth birthday dinner program 1922 April 5

 

Fiesta in honor of Charles Fletcher Lummis program 1924 May 7

 

Los Angeles Grand Opera Association Night, commemorative paper fans 1924 October 8

 

First Annual Gamut Club Festival program 1925 January 30

 

Banquet Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce banquet for Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden 1926 July 22

 

Twenty-fifth birthday program (printed on silver paper) 1929 April 3

 

Twenty-fifth birthday program (printed on white paper) 1929 April 3

 

Twenty-eighth birthday program 1932 April 13

 

"Citizen's Auditorium Committee" correspondence 1923

 

Correspondence regarding Los Angeles Grand Opera Association Night 1929

 

Charles F. Lummis correspondence and personal papers 1911-1923

 

Correspondence between Charles Draa and Ernestine Schumann Heink 1929

 

Charles C. Draa correspondence 1928-1931

 

The Gamut Club- it's past, present, and future" by Ben F. Field 1918

 

Members list undated

 

"We are the Gamuteers" music and lyrics by Charles C. Draa 1919

 

"Damn It Club Occasional" newspaper clipping 1919

 

Newspaper clippings 1914-1918

 

Resolution on death of Harrison Gray Otis decreed by Gamut Club undated

 

"Young Artist's Contest" notes 1924

 

Gamut Club letterhead stationary

 

Charles C. Draa personal papers circa 1925-1947

 

Guest registers 1906-1923