Wright Chat

Frank Lloyd Wright Hits the Block in L.A.


David

The price is certainly moderate for the neighborhood. LAMA is obviously allowing for the hefty price of restoration.

The BlouinArtInfo interview of Peter Loughrey by Danielle Whalen is revealing. What it seems to reveal is Peter Loughrey's rather sketchy understanding of Wright, Lautner, and the Usonian house. The odd first sentence, which begins "When a house like this became available in 1967 . . ." alerts the reader that he might be in for a roller-coaster ride of some sort. Sure enough: I counted four mis-statements of historic fact in the first half of the interview. For a self-described "Frank Lloyd Wright fan or geek" Mr Loughrey displays a curious lack of familiarity with the man and the work.

But he apparently knows how to sell housefuls of historically significant furniture -- so what's not to like ? The Grant Mudford photo of the house is a good one . . .

SDR

Some of the earlier statements made about the sale make it sound as if the furniture was being sold as separate lots, but nothing of that here. Hopefully, they reconsidered ...

as if the furniture was being sold as separate lots, but nothing of that here

I doubt the furniture will be sold with the house. If nothing else, Mr. Loughrey is a steely businessman. This is Los Angeles. It will be all about the money.

Wouldn't the decision to sell the furniture separately - or to keep it with the house - been at the directive of Mr. Larson, in all probability put in writing well before his passing?


David

"Living the better part of 50 years in a Frank Lloyd Wright house is unheard of . . . People don't tend to live in Frank Lloyd Wright houses very long because they can be difficult to adapt to . . ."

Really ?

". . . textile block houses like the Hollyhock House . . ."

Really ?

"In the late ‘30s, he was more interested in the engineering behind architecture . . . Of course, through clever engineering, you're using heavy steel beams to project part of the architecture out into the distance. That was not possible with just wood and masonry, but once he started using steel he could develop something like Fallingwater and the George Sturges House . . ."

Really ?

"In 1939 it was very prescient to him to build the first Usonian house on the West Coast, and that was the Sturges House"

Really ?

True, SDR, he made some goofs, but the last one means that Sturges was the first Usonian to be built in California, not the first Usonian to be built anywhere. About the turnover in FLW home ownership, it certainly isn't the case with original clients, but later owners tend not to hang on as long. Roland Reisley is probably the longest resident at 64 years. Or is Mrs. Shavin still in residence?

Yes, SDR, we all know LA is "all about the money." As if Frisco isn't!

Hanna and Bazett are both earlier than Sturges.

Paul Ringstrom wrote:https://lamodern.com/auctions-2013/auct ... ryID=21012

From the above link, bold added by me ...

The February 21, 2016 Modern Art & Design Auction featuring Frank Lloyd Wright’s George D. Sturges Residence and property from the Estate of Jack Larson to benefit The Bridges/Larson Foundation will include early works of fine art from the personal collection of Jack Larson and James Bridges, a unique Hollywood couple that supported budding artists in the Los Angeles art scene from the early 1960s through the 1980s. Over 75 lots from this special collection will go to auction with proceeds going to The Bridges/Larson Foundation, to be used for charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes. Highlights from the collection include early and rare works by Alex Katz, David Hockney, Don Bachardy, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Sam Francis, Joe Brainard, Frank Lloyd Wright, and John Lautner.

On the bright side, if you ever wanted an origami chair for your home, it sounds like this will be your chance ... :-/

Is it possible that Larson and Bridges intended -- even to benefit their own foundation -- that the furnishings should be separated from the house ? Did they perhaps hope that the purchaser of the house would also be the successful bidder on those furnishings ?

The mind boggles anew . . .

SDR

The new owner of the home can have the furniture recreated if not successful in the auction.

Photos and measured drawings of the furniture should be made before the auction.

Contact the Archives at Columbia Univ. and then Stafford Norris for assistance.

Easy to say !

Lautner's office might have drawings of those sheet-brass floor lamps; they're not ex-Taliesin, I'm quite sure. And the pair of Origamis are to Lautner's design, I believe, as well. (Is it known when those furniture pieces were made for the house ?) These days, it wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the auction house -- yes, even a reputable one -- would offer these objects without presenting (or even knowing) their complete history . . . sad to say.

SDR

I can only hope there are prohibitions against anyone buying and tearing the house down. Right?