Extent:

(17 boxes, 11.68 linear feet)

Scope and content:

Records consist of correspondence, notes, printed ephemera, logs, date books, tear sheets, and financial records, 1930-1974, created and received by Maynard Parker, Charles Yerkes, and Annie Parker. The records describe the day-to-day business operations of Parker's photographic studio.

Parker's correspondence (1930-1972) contains letters, notes, invoices, and brochures. While primarily business in nature, the correspondence also includes letters from family and friends. The majority of the correspondence dates from the early 1940s and the mid 1950s, with many chronological gaps, and consists of requests to Parker for photographs, duplicate prints, and permission to reproduce existing images. Of special note is the one folder of letters from House Beautiful editor Elizabeth Gordon to Parker, dated 1942-1944 (Box 203, folder 9). These consist of requests, instructions, and assignments. Also included are non-correspondence items such as tax information, stationery samples, clippings, personal printed ephemera, business cards, and photographs.

This series also contains notes, business cards, clippings and letters that were originally found with the negatives. See individual project records for details.

The logs and date books (1943-1967) provide additional background information on Parker's business. The photo and print logs list dates, client names, type of print, and amount paid. The date books contain notes, appointments, and phone logs, as well as client names and addresses. The artist's log contains information about some of Parker's photo shoots in 1967, including location, client name, mileage, and petty cash expenses.

This series also contains tear sheets collected by Parker that document work done for House Beautiful, and the Los Angeles Times, among others. Digital surrogates exist for some of this material.

Parker's invoices (1937-1971) primarily describe charges and payments for duplicate prints of his work. Many have letters attached. Clients requesting prints include Adrian; Air Conditioning Company; Allied Engineers; Ambassador Hotel; American Home; Architectural Forum; Architectural Record; Arrowhead Springs Hotel; Barker Bros.; Better Homes and Gardens/Meredith Publishing Company; Beverly Hills Hotel; Fannie Brice; Bob Brown; Bullock's; John Byers; Cannell & Chaffin; Georgius Y. Cannon; Charles of the Ritz; Cheesewright and Mason; Thomas Dolliver Church; James E. Dolena; Dorothy Draper; Eichler Homes; French-Stamats; Alfred T. Gilman; Good Housekeeping; Pauline Graves; Harwell Hamilton Harris; Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; House and Garden; House Beautiful; Myron Hunt; I. Magnin department store; J. Walter Thompson Agency; Kaiser Community Homes; Paul László; Los Angeles Times; Mackie and Kamrath; Barbara Barondess MacLean; Cliff May; Museum of Modern Art; NBC; Wallace Neff; Neiman Marcus; O.M. Scott & Sons; Park La Brea residential community; Popular Home; Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings; Harriet Schellenberger; Rudolph Schindler; Southern California Gas Company; Robert Stanton; Sunset; Eugene Swarzwald; Walter Dorwin Teague; Jessica Treat; University of Arizona; Vermont Marble; W. & J. Sloane; Richard Whiteman Advertising; Paul R. Williams; and Young and Rubicam. Generally, the invoices were filed by Parker in the order in which they were paid, and are thus not strictly chronological. Some months and years are missing. Some folders also include non-business items (cards, notes, bills to Parker for non-photographic items).

The ledgers and sales books (1938-1973) consist of ledgers with entries arranged by month and generally listing invoice numbers, client names, and billed amounts; information on petty cash for 1941 and 1968 (including receipts and other printed ephemera); an invoice log for 1971-1973 that contains invoice numbers and client names (and includes some invoices); bad debt ledgers; and income logs that detail receipts and deposits for both personal and business accounts. Some years are missing.

Also included is Parker's address and note card file.

Arrangement:

These records are generally arranged by type and by date. The correspondence is arranged by correspondent and by date.

Contents

Access and use