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Harper's Flowers photographs and color drawing

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.VIS239

Scope and Content

This collection consists of photographs of flower arrangements for wedding ceremonies, mainly of unidentified bridal parties, taken by various Atlanta photographers including Reeves Studios; Elliott's Peachtree Studios; Halberstadt Studios; Portraits by Lee; Ludi Studio; and Dean King of Decatur, Georgia. Photographs include interior images of religious institutions where each wedding ceremony was held as well as reception table settings. Also a part of the collection are photographs of debutantes, corsages, hand fans, funeral casket covers, and a color drawing of the interior of All Saints' Episcopal Church. Of interest are photographs of the Colonial Flower Shop, Harper's Flowers, and a funeral casket cover for Wilbert "Uncle Robbie" Robinson (1863-1934), a major league baseball catcher, manager, and coach.

Dates

  • 1930-1964, undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Administrative/Biographical History

Adelle Barlett (1885-1974) was born in Dudleyville, Alabama, and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at the age of three. She taught school in Fulton County and married John Lampkin Harper (1886-1953) in 1905. Together they had four children: John Lampkin Jr. (1906-2004?), William Bartlett (1907-1998), Leila 'Auverne' (1908-2010), and Doyal Alexander (1919-2010). Adelle Harper opened her first flower shop, Hillcrest, on Virginia Avenue in 1921, becoming the first woman to own and operate a florist shop in Atlanta. Harper completed floriculture coursework and gave lectures to garden clubs and art classes. In 1928, the shop moved to 1094 Peachtree Street under the new name Colonial Flower Shop. In 1949, the family purchased Piper's Ice Cream Plant at 1201 West Peachtree Street for the new location of the shop. They remodeled the building, added greenhouses, and changed the name to Harper's Flowers. Eventually, the shop moved to 1300 Spring Street in 1978. Adelle Harper organized Harper's School of Floral Design in her shop and was named Atlanta's Woman of the Year in Business in 1951. John Sr. owned Harper Realty Company and was a member of the Atlanta Historical Society. Auverne Harper attended Woodberry Hall School for Girls in Atlanta and Shorter College in Rome. William Bartlett attended Georgia School of Technology and worked as an architect for the Hentz-Adler-Shutze firm. John Jr. attended Emory University and operated the family dairy farm on 400 acres in DeKalb County near the South River. Auverne, William, Doyal, and John Sr. all helped run the flower shop in various roles.

Extent

249 item(s) (246 black and white photographic prints, two color photographic prints, and one color drawing)

Language

English

System of Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff. Unidentified bridal parties have been arranged by bridal couples. Single images of identified bridal couples have been arranged together by dates.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 1978

Related Archival Materials

Harper family photographs and maps, VIS 366, Cherokee Garden Library, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center

Related Archival Materials

Adelle Bartlett Harper papers, MSS 1136, Cherokee Garden Library, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center

Description Control

This collection was reprocessed in 2019.

Title
Harper's Flowers photographs and color drawing
Author
Felicia Render and Jennie Oldfield
Date
May 2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040