FLW and mortar joints questions

[DavidC]

The more I see FLW (and related) homes, the more I really enjoy and appreciate those with the recessed, raked horizontal mortar joints along with the flush head joints that have the mortar color to match the brick.

Does anyone know what home he first used this combination (raked horizontal + flush head w/ matching color) on?

Also, was he the innovator of this technique?


David

[SDR]

Here's the Robie house (1906-1909):





The brick is 1 5/8' x 11 5/8", made in St Louis, costing $26. per thousand (corrected from $35.)

Here's Wright's specification:

". . .horizontal joints wide and white, vertical joints narrow and colored to match brick. Horizontal joints raked out as approved."

B+W close-up and specs as published in ''The Robie House of Frank Lloyd Wright"; Joseph Connors; The University of Chicago Press, 1984

[DavidC]

Thanks alot, SDR - terrific pictures, too.

I did a bit of internet digging and it looks like the Darwin Martin House (1904) has raked and possibly matching head joints (shown here during restoration in photos from their website):





And Dana-Thomas (1902) appears to also have raked w/ matching head joints (shown here in a picture from peterbeers.net):





Is it possible that Walter Gale (1893) might be the first? Though it's tough to tell from this picture, it looks like it may have raked w/ matching head joints (photo from peterbeers.net):




David

[therman7g]

That's wood stripped of paint I do believe.

[Paul Ringstrom]

Walter Gale is a wooden house except for the brick pillar with the address on it which does not look raked.

[SDR]

Martin -- excellent example.

Here's something different: Stockman (1908)



Photo ©Christian Korab

[DavidC]

That's wood stripped of paint I do believe.

Walter Gale is a wooden house except for the brick pillar with the address on it which does not look raked.

Thanks for straightening me out on that - was tough to tell much from the photo.


I just took a look in the Storrer Catalog and the Francis W. Little House (1903) looks like it may have raked mortar joints - though it's rather tough to tell from the photos in the book. I tried looking for better pics of the home online and came up empty. Storrer has it listed as (070) vs (072) for Dana-Thomas. Could this then be his first usage of raked w/ flush head joints?


SDR - great photos. It looks like flush mortar all around with possible matching mortar color on the head joints, though?


David

[SDR]

I think that's right, David.

It's a worthy and interesting quest: when was the first use of this pattern of brickwork.

I'm fond enough of this detail to have used it in some of my work.



Particle board and paper -- an old mock-up that has mellowed nicely,
to my eye, lighted 24/7 by a 15 watt bulb. . .

[DavidC]

SDR - that's a wonderful look and design. Have you ever executed it in brick?


So far, this is the closest look I've found online for the Little House. It's tough to tell from the photo but it looks like the mortar may be flush with the brick. And, it appears as if it is uniform in color throughout - as opposed to matching the brick color at the head joints. (picture from mcnees.org):




David

[Reidy]

Patterson's FLlW and the Meaning of Materials has a lot of detail on questions like this. You might check it out.

[SDR]

Thanks, Reidy.

Here's Donald Hoffman's photo of Robie brick, c 1984, identified as "south front."
Above and below some of the vertical joints can be seen nicks (a row of them are
on the right side of the image), indicating, to me, previous removal of mortar in the
vertical joints, via powered grinder.

[Roderick Grant]

TnGuy, Walter Gale is out of the running; the brickwork on the porch is of recent vintage. The original porch was demolished years ago and has been restored. I doubt existing photos of the original would be clear enough to show detail that fine.

[DavidC]

Patterson's FLlW and the Meaning of Materials has a lot of detail on questions like this. You might check it out.

Thanks, Reidy. I don't happen to have a copy (yet). But if someone would like to play 'research detective' between now and the day when I do end up with one, please feel free to add to the discussion.

TnGuy, Walter Gale is out of the running...

Yes. I wasn't able to tell from the above photo that the siding was wooden, not brick. It's looking (at the moment, at least) that Dana-Thomas may be the first home with raked w/ flush head joints.

Here's Donald Hoffman's photo of Robie brick...

A few years back I remember seeing on the Robie House web site that they were selling original bricks as part of a fund-raiser (and it appears they still are):

"Own an original Robie House brick
You can purchase an authentic Robie House brick from a limited number of the home's original bricks that could not be incorporated into our restoration work. Complete with commemorative plaque, certificate of authenticity and history, each rust-colored, iron-spotted, kiln-fired brick is a distinctive piece of this architectural icon. Contact us at 708.848.3440 to order your brick.

Dimensions 6"W x 4"H x 1-1/2"D $250"


Is it just me, or does anyone else see this as rather flying directly in the face of their stated slogan of: "restore.preserve.inspire."? (see: top left of Robie House web page)


David

[SDR]

These sound like half-bricks ? I suppose they would have been cut to deal with corner conditions, etc. If they really were redundant in reconstruction/restoration, then their best (re)use be to raise finds. . .?

SDR

[SDR]

Thanks for the compliment, TnGuy. No, I haven't had the opportunity
to go further with my lantern or brickwork, but did explore the cons-
truction of the lantern.





The louvers might be made of ceramic, in which case they would look
like the pieces above. These would be stacked to the desired height,
with clear or frosted square "spacer rings" -- ideally of cast glass, and
with a removable top pyramid of the same materials (frosted or
opaque) or of copper. The stacked parts could be cemented together
with clear silicone, if desired.

SDR