More details are coming out that help tell the story of how the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, working together with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, secured the massive collection of Wright-related materials that were recently on the Bonhams auction block. Read more after the jump...
Here's the story as told in the official press release:
"In an aggressive move that underscores its serious archival mission, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (FLLWF) won an important historic collection of more than 1,000 photographs, drawings and other documents by and about the great American architect at auction this weekend. The FLLWF, working with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, acquired the “Henry-Russell Hitchcock FLLW Collection” at auction on Sunday at Bonhams and Butterfields in Los Angeles for $40,000.
The FLLWF was founded in 1940 by Frank Lloyd Wright to be the repository of his life’s work. Housed at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives is believed to be the largest collection of material related to single artist under one roof anywhere in the world. The collection includes over 22,000 architectural drawings, 30,000 historic photographs, and 100,000 pages of correspondence in addition to Wright designed furniture and decorative objects and the architect’s personal art and rare book collections.A key mission of the FLLWF is to preserve the works, ideas and innovative spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright for the benefit of all generations. For this reason, with the support of private donors, FLLWF was able to acquire the important collection. The collection was assembled for publication in a book Hitchcock and Wright co-authored (In the Nature of Materials: The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright 1887-1941) and contains more than 600 photographs of Wright’s buildings and interiors; 300 photographic reproductions of drawings and plans; letters signed by Wright; plans and perspectives by Wright and images from Wright’s own photographic collection.
A task force was created to raise funds by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in collaboration with the FLLWF. The organization, which facilitates the preservation and maintenance of the remaining structures designed by Wright, was responsible for alerting other potentially interested institutions and parties of its goal to purchase the collection for the Archives.
“The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is the ideal home for Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s historical materials; it’s where they belong,” said Daniel Marquardt, Chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees. “This priceless asset complements our vast archives in helping convey Wright’s world view. We are delighted that this addition will be preserved and maintained by the Foundation, where it can be studied by scholars and researchers for generations to come.”
The collection assembled by Hitchcock and Wright for this book was used to create an exceptionally rich documentation of Wright’s career. According to experts, this book was originally intended to be an ex post facto catalogue of the 1940 MoMA exhibition “Frank Lloyd Wright: American Architect” – described by the man himself as “the show to end all shows.”
“Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s book was an important assessment of Frank Lloyd Wright’s substantial career by one of the leading architectural historians of the 20th century,” said David Mohney, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Board of Trustees Member and Professor & Dean Emeritus College of Design, University of Kentucky. “This significant collection belongs in the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s archives as part of the organization’s mission to preserve his legacy and celebrate his vision.”
About the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation:
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is a leading global multi-disciplinary center for education, scholarship, debate and research committed to the place of architecture and the arts. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s mission is to: educate and engage diverse audiences through programs that encourage innovative thinking about the relationships between architecture and design and the natural environment, and preserve the works, ideas and innovative spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation owns, maintains, protects and operates: Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale; the professionally accredited Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; The Frank Lloyd Wright Archives. For more information about The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation visit www.franklloydwright.org.
About the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy:
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, an international preservation organization, is based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1989, its mission is to facilitate the preservation and maintenance of the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright through education, advocacy, preservation easements and technical services. For more information visit www.savewright.org.
About Bonhams:
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 50 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com."
It's a fascinating story and a true win for all of us interested in architecture. I look forward to the books, articles, images and other positive things to come out of the future study of these materials.
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