When did Wright design his famous "barrel chairs"?

[mike]

Wright viewed first hand similar chairs in the german arts and crafts display at the 1904 world's fair in St' Louis.



Also Marion and Walter Griffin included one in a perspective for the Ralph Griffin house in Edwardsville Illinois in 1909. Edwardsville is outside of St. Louis.



(Doing research on Wright related to St. Louis.)



When was the first Wright "Barrel Chair" designed????????????????????

[usonian1]

Photos taken by Henry Fuerman in 1907 show the barrel chair in numerous locations throughout the Darwin Martin House (Buffalo, NY). I do believe that this was Wright's first use of his barrel chair, most likely designed prior to the Martin's moving into their new home in 1905 (http://freenet.buffalo.edu/bah/a/jewett ... ce/17.html).

[usonian1]

Correction in spelling......"Feurman".

[pharding]

Correction in spelling......"Feurman".

Sorry, but you both are incorrect on this one. The photographer's last name is spelled Fuermann. The photographer was Clarence Fuermann of Henry Fuermann and Sons. Clarence is arguably the first great modern architectural photographer. His father Henry founded the company.

[Roderick Grant]

I have had the pleasure of sitting in one of the original Martin chairs. Contrary to many claims that FLW's furniture is uncomfortable, the barrel chair is wonderful. Heavy as hell, but a wonderfully comfortable chair. The later version that appears at Taliesin executed in birch is somewhat smaller, but still very nice. The recent Cassina version is smaller still, and a tad tight, but still very nice.

[Mark Hertzberg]

Edgar Tafel told me that he suggested the barrel chairs from the Martin House be used at Wingspread (1937), as well. He says that Wright redesigned them and the Wingspread ones are less comfortable than the Martin House ones because they are smaller and less flexible.

[JimM]

Edgar Tafel told me that he suggested the barrel chairs from the Martin House be used at Wingspread

Do you think that, knowing Johnson, the ever practical Tafel was hoping to avoid possible problems with what Frank might have come up with for Wingspread?



Another Martin/Wingspread oddity: the original dining chair for Martin (summarily rejected) was a three legged ancestor of the Johnson Wax topsy turvy chair.



Bombs away!

[MHOLUBAR]

Fallingwater also has a barrel chair that was suggested as the dining chair for the house by Frank. The Kaufmanns preferred an antique three legged chair that functioned better on the rustic stone floor.

[pmahoney]

The William Heath residence in Buffalo was completed in December 1904 and included a variation of the barrel chair. The same variation was used at the Smith Bank in Dwight, Il.