Definition of harper brothers in English English dictionary
U.S. printers and publishers. The two oldest brothers, James (1795-1869) and John (1797-1875) established J. & J. Harper in 1817; their siblings Joseph (1801-70) and Fletcher (1806-77) joined in 1823 and 1825. The firm took the name Harper & Brothers in 1833. The company began publishing periodicals in 1850 with Harper's New Monthly Magazine (see Harper's Magazine), which was followed by Harper's Weekly (1857) and Harper's Bazaar (1867). In 1900 the business passed out of family hands. Two of the Harper magazines are still being published; the name Harper also survives in the international book-publishing firm HarperCollins