History & item details
The printed address is 334½ West 24th Street, New York 11, N.Y. A doorway illustration credited to Larry III gives the piece a strong visual identity, while its schedule returns the reader to the practical rhythm of the clubhouse: people arriving, finding a meeting and meeting one another. The leaflet calls the location “the first AA clubhouse in the world,” a description presented here as the wording of the original piece.
The preservation appeal gains poignancy from the building’s later history. An October 1966 A.A. Grapevine account recalled the original clubhouse’s closing on February 14, 1960. This leaflet is undated and is provisionally catalogued as circa late 1950s. Dated New York Intergroup directories document several of the same meeting names and times in November 1958; by February 1960, the Landmark meetings shown here on Tuesday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 p.m. were listed at the replacement address, 440 West 23rd Street. These comparisons support the approximate dating, but do not establish the leaflet’s exact year.
For a collector of New York A.A. history, the appeal is its immediacy. This is the kind of small printed object that served a fellowship in daily life, now preserving both a gathering place and the effort to remember it.
Details of This Copy
- Old 24th Street Clubhouse, 334½ West 24th Street, New York 11, N.Y.
- Folded meeting schedule with landmark-preservation appeal
- Doorway illustration credited to Larry III
- Undated; provisionally circa late 1950s, exact issue year unconfirmed
Condition
The paper shows age toning, spotting and conspicuous staining, including ring-shaped and splash-like marks. Fold lines, handling creases and edge and corner wear are visible. The illustration and printed information remain legible. The seller reports no odor.
Please review all photographs for the condition of the specific item offered.
