Issue 335 December 7th 2022

The Headlines

Toomey & Co. Art & Design Auction to Feature Rare Works by Frank Lloyd Wright

On Tuesday, December 13th, 2022, Toomey & Co. will present "Art & Design," an expertly curated selection of important works by artists, designers, and architects who have helped define their respective fields for more than a century, Including some very important works by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Two Wright-designed weed holders in the auction were produced circa 1895 from copper and retain their original brown and red patina. This pair was presented to Frederick Bagley by Wright and passed down through the family. A marble importer who supplied materials to Wright, Bagley was also one of his earliest clients. In 1894, Wright designed Bagley’s house in the village of Hinsdale, west of Chicago. There are fewer than twenty known examples of this important Frank Lloyd Wright form, many of which are held by distinguished institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the British Museum in London.

Along with the weed holders, the auction has several other historic works by Frank Lloyd Wright: eight dining chairs from the Edward C. Waller House in River Forest, IL; a window from the Ward W. Willits House in Highland Park, IL; a slant back chair from Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL / Browne’s Bookstore in Chicago; and a cabaret table from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. See all the items here.

The Best Buildings In Downtown Chicago Tournament: Elite 8

Boy, do we love our downtown buildings. Axios Chicago has been having a Sweet 16 compitition for the best loved Chicago building, and a record number of you voted — 1,325!

Now it's time for the Elite Eight and we are focused on the Rookery vs. Marina Towers.

The Rookery is the lone 19th-century representative left in the tournament. The building's lobby, redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905, is an architectural stunner. See all the past and present categories, and determine which ones you would vote for by clicking here.

Searing House By Bruce Goff Available For $975,000

Architect Bruce Goff built a plethora of organic buildings across the Midwest and beyond, combining imaginative forms with found and reclaimed materials, including ribbed Quonset huts, feathers and glass cullet.

The largely self-taught "outsider" architect was a prodigious talent who built his first house aged 14 and admired the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. None of his works looked the same, but many drew criticism for being so different. Among his fantastical creations is LAC’s Pavilion for Japanese Art, with its turquoise mosaics and see-through fiberglass panels, the castle-like Bavinger House in Oklahoma, with its tall spiraling roof, and the wooden cylindrical Al Struckus House in LA featuring four glass windows resembling eyeballs.

In 1967, Goff designed Searing House – a whimsical two-story house in the city of Prairie Village, Kansas. Goff gave the property an innovative, geometric design with a free-flowing plan and glass walls that spill out onto garden-level terraces with ironwork detailing.

The one-bedroom Kansas property is for sale with Bash & Co Sotheby’s International Realty for $975,000 for the first time in its history. Its main living space has a freestanding, central fireplace under triangular skylights and wooden dividing doors, which open it up to other rooms and the natural views beyond. It even has the original Formica-topped kitchen. See it here.

Lakefront Wisconsin Gem With Frank Lloyd Wright Link Is Available For $2M

As Frank Lloyd Wright's former draftsman, architect Russell Barr Williamson designed homes on Milwaukee’s North Shore. One is up for grabs.

As a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, Wisconsin architect Russell Barr Williamson designed many homes on Milwaukee’s North Shore—including this midcentury modern ranch house on the market in Fox Point.

Fittingly, this house was designed to showcase panoramic Lake Michigan views.

The 5,454-square-foot home was built in 1959. It has five bedrooms and 4.5 baths and is listed with Lauren Siegel of First Weber Real Estate for $1,995,000—down from the original asking price of $2,150,000 in September. Take a look here.

Home For The Holidays With The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

The Wright’s celebrated many holidays over the two decades they migrated between Taliesin in Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Arizona. This year, visitors of all ages can enjoy a special version of Taliesin West that pays tribute to the seasonal decorations, and festivities the Wright’s shared with their artistic community at our very own holiday celebrations! Home For the Holidays is a special event that features crafts, holiday music, and snacks and beverages available to purchase.

Engaging staff will also share stories and insights about the winter celebrations at Taliesin West. You won’t want to miss this spectacular affair! Dates and times are Friday and Saturday, December 9 & 10 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, December 16 & 17 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. More info and tickets available here.

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