Adams Davidson Galleries records
name: label: Creator
content: Adams Davidson Galleries
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Photographs on reels 3814 donated 1980 by the Adams Davidson Galleries. The gallery records were donated 2015 by the Theodore Arthur Cooper estate via Laura Cooper Jordan, executor.
creator: label: Creator
content: Adams Davidson Galleries
setName: label: See more items in
content: Adams Davidson Galleries records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of the Adams Davidson Galleries measure 21.0 linear feet and date from 1922 to 2013. The records document the history of the galleries through board meeting minutes, legal cases, appraisal course materials, and other administrative files; correspondence with insitutions and customers seeking to acquire artwork or have thier artwork appraised; artist files consisting of notes, photographs of works, and background information for specific pieces of artwork; correspondence and materials related to exhibitions held at the galleries; correspondence and some receipts with institutions and individuals regarding the purchasing of artwork or having artwork appraised; receipts, price lists, invoices, and other financial records; articles, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs, slides, and transparencies of artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Adams Davidson Galleries (established1965-closed 2014) was a gallery in Washington, D.C. that represented American artists active in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Founders Peter Powers and Donald Webster co-directed with their spouses Elizabeth Powers and Judy Webster until 1969, when Elizabeth Powers became sole owner. Theodore (Ted) Arthur Cooper was hired as Assistant Director of the gallery in 1970. In 1971, Cooper bought out Powers' interest and became sole owner. Through the gallery, Cooper also took commissions as an appraiser of American art.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, Commercial -- Washington (D.C.)
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 21 Linear feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1922-2013
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.adamdavi
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into eight series.

Series 1: Administrative Files, 1971-2011 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1969-2008 (0.6 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 3: Artist Files, 1922-2006 (3.7 linear feet; Boxes 2-6)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1966-2006 (0.7 linear feet; Box 6)

Series 5: Institution Files, 1970-2006 (1.6 linear feet; Boxes 7-8)

Series 6: Financial Records, 1940-2013 (9.7 linear feet; Boxes 8-17, 21)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1971-2007 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 17-18)

Series 8: Photographic Material, circa 1985-1995 (2.9 linear feet; Boxes 19-22)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2022.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Two photographs of paintings are available on 35mm microfilm reel 3814 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The records of the Adams Davidson Galleries measure 21.0 linear feet and date from 1922 to 2013. The records document the history of the galleries through board meeting minutes, legal cases, appraisal course materials, and other administrative files; correspondence with insitutions and customers seeking to acquire artwork or have thier artwork appraised; artist files consisting of notes, photographs of works, and background information for specific pieces of artwork; correspondence and materials related to exhibitions held at the galleries; correspondence and some receipts with institutions and individuals regarding the purchasing of artwork or having artwork appraised; receipts, price lists, invoices, and other financial records; articles, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs, slides, and transparencies of artwork.


Administrative files consist of board meeting minutes, some legal cases related to artwork in the care of the galleries, insurance policies, and appraisal course materials. Also included are files related organizations such as the American Society of Appraisers, Washington Art Dealers Association, and the Appraisers Association of America that Ted Cooper and the galleries were affiliated with.

Correspondence consists of general correspondence between the galleries and other institutions and individuals interested in artwork.

Artist files consist of files of artists whose works were exhibited or sold by the galleries; The majority of the artists are nineteenth century American artists. Some files only consist of photographs or transparencies of an artist's works, while others contain notes, related articles, and background information on the artist and specific pieces of artwork.

Exhibition files consist of shipping receipts, loan forms, correspondence, articles, and exhibition announcements for exhibitions held at the galleries. Some of the exhibitions include: "I.M. Pei: Drawings for the East Building - National Gallery of Art in Evolution," "Works on Paper From Thomas Cole to Andrew Wyeth," and "Edgar Nye: An American Regionalist."

Institution files consist of correspondence and some receipts related to artwork that was sold or loaned to other institutions for exhbitiions or to be sold. Also included are individuals who purchased artwork from the galleries or inquired about having appraisals performed on their owned artwork.

Financial records consist of sales material such as price lists, consignments, and invoices for appraisal research. Also included are appraisal reports, financial statements, and shipping receipts. There are also customer binders and customer index cards noting who bought certain artwork and for how much.

Printed material consists of articles, clippings, newsletters, exhibition announcements, and exhibition catalogs related both to the galleries and some of the artists and artwork represented by the galleries.

Photographic material consists of photographs, slides, and transparencies of artwork sold by the galleries or of works for which appraisals were performed.