GA Books and Monographs

PNB · Post by **PNB** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:59 pm

I occasionally see FLLW Global Architecture books and FLLW Monographs on EBAY. The prices are prohibitive for me to buy them. Therefore I am curious on what they have that makes them so desirable? Someone please enlighten me!

pharding · Post by **pharding** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:12 pm

Superb content, superb original drawings that are not published elsewhere, superb photographs, superb written commentary in a very comprehensive collection. They are relatively rare as they were expensive when initially published. The monographs include the work of three great individuals, FLW, Bruse Brooks Pfeifer, and Yukio Futagawa, plus a great publisher. Every other monograph pales in comparison. It is the best.

Eric Saed · Post by **Eric Saed** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:30 pm

If you are a * Wrightian devotee, the Monographs are priceless. Really. They truly are the most comprehensive and definitive resource of Mr. Wright's body of work. The drawings of the unbuilt projects are worth their price alone. Seeing the iterations that built projects went through before their final form is also fascinating.

I was fortunate 18 years ago when I convinced my parents to purchase volumes 6,7,8 @ $150 apiece as my Christmas gift that year. Today, they are so dog-eared, worn, and self-annotated...but, I would still only lend them to someone I trusted completely.

To paraphrase the infamous words of "Ferris Bueller"...if you have the means to acquire one, I highly recommend it.

Paul Ringstrom · Post by **Paul Ringstrom** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:52 pm

I saw a brand new complete set of the hardcover edition for $9,500 recently.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:53 pm

I guess I could kick myself for not springing for more of these volumes when they were available -- I have only Monographs 5 and 6 (top price was $146, hardbound, at Bill Stout), judiciously chosen for what I then saw as my favorite periods of Wright's work, and also some others with Futagawa's photos. He must hold the record for most sites visited (more than once) and more excellent photos published than any other Wright photographer. He has usually (but not always) managed to avoid distracting owner furnishings and other flaws. Some of his stuff is startling; at other times he seems to evoke a dark mood from Wright, an almost noirish shadow-world. . .

That said, nothing is flawless in this world. Olgivanna was still with us when these monographs (or Monographs) were published, and her ghost, bending over the shoulder of the no-doubt long-suffering Pfeiffer, haunts their pages, in the form of effusive propagandizing of the Master. One would think the man a god who could do no wrong, and whose chief nemesis was the ignorant and hapless client who passed up the opportunity to have, at any cost, a Wright masterpiece.

The other disappointment is the dearth of real information about the many (if sometimes woefully small) drawings. Early and late studies of a project, for example, are distinguishable only by what one can glean from the drawings themselves.

But, it's still a feast, and the incomparable source (so far) on Wright's built and unbuilt work.

SDR

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:13 pm

Futagawa, Fricke residence, c 1975

Eric Saed · Post by **Eric Saed** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:52 pm

SDR wrote:IThat said, nothing is flawless in this world. Olgivanna was still with us when these monographs (or Monographs) were published, and her ghost, bending over the shoulder of the no-doubt long-suffering Pfeiffer, haunts their pages, in the form of effusive propagandizing of the Master. One would think the man a god who could do no wrong, and whose chief nemesis was the ignorant and hapless client who passed up the opportunity to have, at any cost, a Wright masterpiece.

The other disappointment is the dearth of real information about the many (if sometimes woefully small) drawings. Early and late studies of a project, for example, are distinguishable only by what one can glean from the drawings themselves.

SDR

Well said, and something I hadn't thought about. That crazy old bat surely must have had some influence. Since there is little mention of Jack Howe in the Monographs, that makes sense. The man was FLLW's right hand, yet, OLW treated him as persona non grata.

In my studies, I've found Margo Stipe @ the Taliesin Archives to be very kind and helpful, and small-scale reproductions of drawings are very reasonable in cost. I've been able to obtain many small copies of drawings that have helped me better understsand several unbuilt projects.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:13 pm

Thanks, Eric. That's good to know.

SDR

RJH · Post by **RJH** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:28 pm

In all seriousness, donâ€™t you think there needs to be controversy in art? If there wasnâ€™t, we would have massed produced copies of the status quo. Harvard, Yale and Princeton symmetrical architecture. My god, look at SOM. One of the worst! No controversy. No new thought or ideas because it may not be PC. Take a look at all the famous painters. Almost all of them were against the norm and expressed their own total freedom in their art. Now, their art is worth millions.

I recall a story about how FLW was walking down the sidewalk and one of his friends was actually walking directly towards him in the opposite direction. The â€œfriendâ€� actually crossed the street to avoid him because of all the negative public attention Wright was getting at the time.

I canâ€™t imagine how many of todayâ€™s architect must absolutely dread it when another potential client walks into their office and requests they put an addition on their colonial, Georgian (or whatever) house.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:29 pm

Are you responding to a different thread ? I don't see the connection to what was written above.

Oak Park Jogger · Post by **Oak Park Jogger** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:40 pm

The monographs are really fascinating. Everytime you check out a structure that's been referenced, whether here or somewhere else, or because you drove by a building not open to the public and wanted to learn more, you learn more about it and notice details and thought that went into the design. My first volumes were purchased, in paperback, at the Home and Studio on a "when cash was available" basis (which wasn't very often)--I believe they were $35 or $45 each and that was really an extravagant purchase. I remember being crushed when they went out of print, which was long before my set was completed. To see the monographs is to want them.

pharding · Post by **pharding** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:24 pm

I have a set of the hardcover original FLW Monographs for sale that was owned by Former Taliesin Apprentice, Lynn Anderson. If anyone is interested PM me.

hypnoraygun · Post by **hypnoraygun** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:06 pm

Paul you could donate them to me for a tax "Wright" off! ha..

What are the odds of getting these republished? I would love to own these but can not afford 3 to 9 grand for them..

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:26 pm

I wonder if the publisher (A.D.A Edita, Tokyo) isn't considering a new edition, given the continued strong interest in Wright ? Perhaps they have concluded that the price (even in paper ?) would limit the sales to too low a number to pay for the exercise. . .

SDR

pharding · Post by **pharding** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:48 pm

Informed sources told me that the publisher said that it will not be reprinted. They are expensive to publish in the high quality manner that the first edition was printed. Only the Japanese would publish such a wonderful monograph that was beautifully edited, written, photographed, printed, and boxed. This is not your basic coffee table book with a bunch of buildings selected because they were well furnished and photographed well. These 12 volumes are about the intellectual content of great architectural works. This is simply the best publication on the built work of Frank Lloyd Wright.