Building Wright Furniture

modjohn · Post by **modjohn** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:51 pm

Does anyone have drawings, tracings, plans, etc of any Wright furniture pieces they would care to share. I am interested in making some of the simpler pieces from the Usonian homes for my own use.

Thanks,
John

Laurie Virr · Post by **Laurie Virr** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:17 am

I have a blueprint of the original drawing of the Taliesin Lamp. It was given to me by John H. Howe, drawn by FLLW, and is an appalling piece of drafting.

I have drawn true copies of it, and will willingly make one available to you, if interested, provided that in so doing I am not laying myself open to legal action from those at Taliesin West. Is it known from which documents the recently fabricated origami chairs were modeled, and what were the ramifications with regard to the Foundation?

It is a long way for the Foundation's legal eagles to come to Australia, but I would put nothing past them. Are there any Wright Chatters who are aware of the legal situation please?

DavidC · Post by **DavidC** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:13 am

modjohn wrote:Does anyone have drawings, tracings, plans, etc of any Wright furniture pieces they would care to share.

Here are some plans for some lamps:

Woodworking Plans for a Hillside Table Lamp: Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright

Woodworking Plans for an Oak Park Lamp : Inspired by the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright

Woodworking Plans for a Mile High Usonian Lamp: Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright

For a "Wright-style Print Stand, see: Popular Woodworking's Arts & Crafts Furniture: 25 Projects For Every Room In Your Home

And for a not-so-simple piece, see this thread

David

DavidC · Post by **DavidC** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:15 am

Laurie Virr wrote:I have drawn true copies of it, and will willingly make one available to you, if interested, provided that in so doing I am not laying myself open to legal action from those at Taliesin West.

Laurie, thanks for the offer. Assuming that you are able to pass them along, please count me in as one who would be interested.

David

allwrightguy1 · Post by **allwrightguy1** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:06 am

Laurie,
I'd also be interested if it all works out. Let us know how to email contact you to work out the details.
Thanks,
allwrightguy1

Deke · Post by **Deke** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:14 am

I've have dimension notes from a variety of chairs and tables, but have yet to make clean drawings of them. I don't believe there is an copyright issue related to furniture. I don't think furniture was protected back then, which is why as soon as a popular Eames design came out you'd see knockoffs.

Deke

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:13 am

In exchange for more detailed drawings of the furniture for Lamberson, the foundation required that I sign documents whereby I would agree to only build specific numbers of pieces, and not more than were specified by Wright in the plans to the house. Each piece is to be numbered and dated. Their point was that they wanted to ensure that "extras" were not fabricated and then distributed or sold to the public at large, and that newer reproductions would not be confused with pieces built at the time of the construction of the house.

I also had to promise in writing that I would not distribute or publish the drawings. An early version of the origami chair (Easy Chair) was included with the house when we bought it, but the drawing was not legible. When I asked them if they could provide me with a clearer copy, they wanted us to instead build the licensed origami chair which Copeland makes. I insisted that we should build what Wright drew for the house, not the larger, later version which we commonly see. The "Easy Chair" at Lamberson is indeed a completely different chair. We went back and forth on this one, and they said that they could not find the drawing that I had. I held my ground, and somehow was certain that it must be there, and eventually after much persistence on my part, they "found" it. I could never understand their reluctance on this issue. The reality of Wright's furniture is that there are seemingly endless variations of different themes, and they should know this, and insist that the proper pieces go with the house in question.

I signed the documents because I felt I didn't really have another choice if I wanted clearer copies of the drawings than the ones provided to me by the previous owner, which were reductions and "copies of copies".

Whether any of this would hold up in a court of law is anyone's guess. Any attorneys out there?

Deke · Post by **Deke** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:14 am

Peterm

Did the foundation require that you not measure the finished furniture and make new drawings based on those measurements? I'd love to see a smaller origami chair...always felt the big ones I've seen take up too much real estate.

Deke

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:23 am

No, they didn't require anything beyond what I described. I think they assumed that we would build what was drawn.

The size of the newer Origamis is a factor, but also the weight. Stafford built ours out of 1/2" plywood (as specified) as opposed to the 3/4" in the newer version, and they still weigh a ton...

Deke · Post by **Deke** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:26 pm

So if you were so inclined, you could measure your furniture, make drawings, and post them online for the world to use.

Deke

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:38 pm

If I was interested in taking on their legal team, of course! But right now, that is not my highest priority...

modjohn · Post by **modjohn** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:18 pm

Thanks Laurie, I would be interested in a scan of your copy of the table lamp. Or other electronic version if you have converted it into a CAD app.

Also, what do you mean by appalling drafting? Poorly drawn? I would love to see a photo of the original blueprint.

Jeff Myers · Post by **Jeff Myers** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 11:32 am

To me, I would build the Taliesin Lamp but in my own adaptation. There are many different Taliesin Lamps that were designed for clients, I know of 2 different 3/4 inch wood pieces above the lamp box, there is the Shield and the one well known Rectangle.

KevinW · Post by **KevinW** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 11:57 am

Regarding the Taliesin table lamps, Bob Beharka pointed out to me that the current knock offs and the available do it yourself volumes, show a different method of attaching the shade to the base. The authentic method is to hang from two bent metal wire bars that are attached to the arm, and secure the shade with 4 round hooks attached to the shade.
He also made his lamps from redwood, since his house has redwood trim in it, therefore the one he made for my wife is redwood.

He would also experiement with different shade materials, his latest fave was a material called Backrum????? Once a year he would go to Berkeley to a specific Japanese paper maker to buy paper for his lamps too, this is what ours is made from.

He also created a 1/2 size version of the "stalagalite", but had a full size in his living room. His stacked box floor lamps is where he took a bit more creative license, varied the number of boxes, and adding a "spire" to the top, which I really like.

Sorry for the ramble....doubt any of this is helpful or pertinent.......

Jeff Myers · Post by **Jeff Myers** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:54 pm

I know of one I have seen where the shade slips over the wood trunk...
Thanks for bringing that interesting construction method to us and sharing a some stories of Mr. Beharka and the Taliesin Lamp....

I like the Taliesin Lamp for its modern lines and the way the light boxes branch in different directions...

Building Wright Furniture

Building Wright Furniture

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