The Odell Family Collection primarily consists of items used during World War I by Lieutenant James H. Odell of the Royal Flying Corps Canada.

The collection includes three (3) field message books that include drawings of planes, observations, laundry lists and other assorted notes. The field books are in fragile condition, with loose pages and covers, and should not be handled. They also have severe stains, possibly from smoke and/or water.

There are also two (2) pieces of ephemera: a gas defence card and a booklet titled "Fullerphone Notes and Diagrams" with James H. Odell's name inside the front cover. The Fullerphone was a portable telegraph signaling device used in the British army during both World Wars.

There are also five (5) black-and-white photographs, circa 1920s-1930s. Four (4) of the images have stamps or captions on the reverse reading "Property of Ralph Brown;" the relationship between Ralph Brown and the Odells is unknown. One (1) image is a shot of Ralph Brown standing on the wing of a Douglas A-17A. Additional images include a signed portrait of Eddie Rickenbacker and a collage of Shell Petroleum aircraft and pilots James H. Doolittle and James G. Haizlip, each of whom has signed the collage.