Descriptive Summary
Administration Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Ralph S. Peer correspondence archive
Inclusive Dates: 1947-2002
Bulk Dates: 1948-1960
Collection Number: mssPeer
Collector:
Peer, Ralph Sylvester, 1892-1960
Extent:
Approximately 20,000 items in 48 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The Ralph S. Peer correspondence archive consists of letters and printed matter to and from Peer concerning multiple events
and personages related to the local, national, and international expansion and growth of camellia-related activities through
the many efforts of Peer.
Language of Material: The records are in English.
Administration Information
Access
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information,
please go to following
web site .
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
Ralph S. Peer correspondence archive, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Peer II, January 2017 and July 2017.
Biography
Ralph Sylvester Peer (1892-1960) was an American talent scout, recording engineer, record producer, music publisher, and camellia
expert. He had a long, productive and successful career in music publishing and promotion, as he built Southern Music Publishing
into a major international firm. Park Hill was Peer's first permanent home and had over 3 acres of land. In 1948 Ralph Peer
formed the Los Angeles California Camellia Society, drafted organizational guidelines and served as its first President. By
1949 Peer had acquired around 300 camellia plants for his Park Hill Estate. He also used his horticultural knowledge, and
strong business ethic to lead and promote local and national camellia societies. In 1957, Peer became president of the American
Camellia Society. The number of camellias at Park Hill grew to over 2,600 by the time of Peer's death on January 19, 1960.
-Eugene L. Vigil, Ph.D., appraisal, 2016
Scope and Content
The archive consists of approximately 20,000 typed and handwritten letters from 1948 through 1960. There are a small number
of original signed letters that appear to be duplicates or letters not sent. The archive also contains some ephemera: copies
of original and published articles, camellia journals, pamphlets, photographs, and other printed matter.
Most of the typed letters from Peer are carbon copies of those sent to various persons, nurseries, and organizations. These
letters were sent to and from different parties including: members of The American Camellia Society; horticulturalists and
botanist; plant explorers; lawyers; government employees; and nursery owners in the United States, Australia, New Zealand,
Europe, Hong Kong, Indochina, India, Japan, Africa, and South America. Peer used his business travels and correspondence to
contact any person having a horticultural or other interest in camellias. He was tireless in his pursuits and the magnitude
of his efforts is evident in the archive.
Peer corresponded with numerous individuals including: Charles Puddle from the Bodnant Estate; Arthur C. Brown, secretary-editor
of the American Camellia Society; George J. Hall and W.H. Hall from Camellia Hall Nursery; Alfred and Ivy Clarke; Ralph E.
Dean from the Gardens Department in Hong Kong; David L. Feathers from the Northern California Camellia Society; Gilbert E.
Fisher from the Men's Camellia Society of Birmingham, Alabama; Frank Griffin from the South Carolina Camellia Society; K.
Wada from Hakoneya Nurseries; G.H. (George Horace) Johnstone, 1882-1960; Jessie W. and Sigmund J. Katz; Jean Mahaux from Cercle
du Camellia; Charles Melville McLaren [Lord Aberconway] from the Royal Horticultural Society; Eikichi Satomi from the Japanese
Camellia Society; and William E. Woodroof from California Camellia Gardens.
The topics in this archive range from Peer’s camellia quest and contact with domestic and foreign nurseries; quarantine and
fumigation of imported camellia plants; his personal and horticultural relationships, particularly with William Hertrich and
Eikichi Satomi; the pursuit of the yellow camellia species from Yunnan Province; camellia growers at different tea plantations;
nomenclature for camellias; and involvement with numerous camellia societies. - Eugene L. Vigil, Ph.D., appraisal, 2016
Cataloger's notes
Throughout the collection, there may be several copies of one letter. According to Ralph Peer's "Procedures" document:
• Original (as indicated by Peer)
• Yellow copy (Peer's with correspondence attached)
• White copy (Monique Peer's copy)
The cataloger attempted to combine the white copy with the original and yellow copy, when possible.
If the association, group, or society is listed, the person(s) writing on behalf of that entity will be in bold and bracketed.
For example,
American Camellia Catalog [Erdman, Robert Park, 1898-] is filed in Box 1 (8). However, Albert Fendig was also part of American Camellia Catalog and the note underneath the folder
title contains a See reference to Fendig, Albert.
Though some stapled pages appeared to have been detached, the majority remain stapled together.
A copy of Peer’s “Procedure” document has been placed at the front of each box for reference.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically.
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Arnold-Foster, W. (William), 1886-1951
Erdman, Robert Park, 1898-
Griffin, Frank
Hertrich, William, 1880-
Hume, H. Harold (Hardrada Harold), 1875-1965
Lammerts, Walter E. (Walter Edward), 1904-
Lawrence, George H.M. (George Hill Mathewson), 1910-1978
Londonderry, Edith Helen Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of, 1879-1959
Metcalf, Edwards H. (Edwards Huntington)
Peer, Ralph Sylvester, 1892-1960
Satomi, Eikichi, 1898-
Seddon, T.E.Y. (Thomas Edward Youd), 1884-1972
Seibert, Russell J. 1914-2004
Wheeldon, Thomas, 1892-
Corporate Names
American Horticultural Council
Armstrong Nurseries (Ontario, Calif.)
American Camellia Society
Huntington Botanical Gardens
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium
Los Angeles Camellia Society
Magnolia Gardens and Nurseries
Royal Horticultural Society (Great Britain)
South Carolina Camellia Society, Inc.
Southern California Camellia Society
Southern Music Publishing Co.
Subjects
Botanical gardens
Camellias
Gardens
Horticulturists
Nurseries
Geographic Areas
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Genre
Letters (correspondence)
Printed ephemera
Typescripts