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Avery Coonley was born in Rochester, New York, on Oct 10, 1870 to John Clark and Lydia Arms (Avery) Coonley. They moved to Chicago In 1873. John Clark Coonley, a wealthy attorney and business man, past away in 1882. Lydia Avery Coonley was born in Virginia on Jan 31, 1845 to Benjamin Franklin and Susan Look Avery. Lydia Avery Coonley (Avery Coonley's mother) became the heiress to a fortune, derived from the manufacturing of farm machinery. She became a writer, publishing many poems and books. One poem entitled "Indian Summer", was published in the Nov 3, 1894 "The Outlook". She compiled a number of poems and published "Singing Verses for Children". She was also the author of "Under The Pines and Other Verses", published in 1895 by another client of Wright's, Chauncey Williams, of Way & Williams. She also wrote and published "Washington and Lincoln". She was active in the women's movement, and was president of the Chicago Women's Club from 1895-1896. On March 18, 1897, Lydia Avery Coonley, a wealthy Chicago widow, married Naturalist Henry Augustus Ward. He owned the largest meteor collection in the world.
Avery Coonley graduated from Harvard, then took graduate work at M.I.T. He married Queene Ferry of Detroit, Michigan in1901. A businessman and industrialist, he was very active in a number of businesses. Manufacturing, publishing, merchandising, real estate and live stock to name a few. He was a director of "The Dial Co.", owned by another of Wright'sclients, Francis Fisher Browne (Browne's Bookstore). He coauthored "Christian Science and the Bible" in 1915.
Queene Ferry Coonley, born Addie Elizabeth Ferry, (1874-1958), was born in Detroit to garden seed magnate Dexter Ferry and his wife Addie. Queene graduated from Vassar College in 1896, married Avery Coonley in 1901. They had one child, Elizabeth Ferry Coonley, born in 1902.
Mrs. Avery (Queene Ferry) Coonley, a believer in early childhood education, attempted to enroll her daughter in Kindergarten. She was denied entrance because her daughter was not yet five. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. The school continued to grow, and In 1916, moved to a new facility. In addition to her duties at school she was treasurer of the National Women's Party; a trustee of Vassar College and vice president of the Progressive Education Association.
In 1920, Avery Coonley past away at only fifty years of age. In 1929, in honor of her late husband, she changed the name to the Avery Coonley School. In 1954, Queene Ferry Coonley published "Great thoughts: an anthology of sayings, garnered over the years". She past away in the same year a Wright, 1959. The Avery Coonley still functions as a school today in Downer's Grove, Illinois.COONLEY COACH HOUSE TRANSOM WINDOW (1911) COONLEY RESIDENCE AND COACH HOUSE (1977)
COONLEY PLAYHOUSE TRIPTYCH (1980) COONLEY LOW BACK CHAIR (1989)
Date: 1907
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Dressing Table, Bedroom #1 (FLLW #0803.51) (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Front and side view of the dressing table and side view of the chair. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, the chair was executed in 1908. We could not find examples of this table, but many examples the the chair. In 1989, Cassina produced a low back that matched this drawing but called it a dining room chair. The Cassina: 609 Coonley, 1. Was designed with a handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back.
There is a matching chair in a photograph from 1911, Wright's Home and Studio (S#0104.15). In a bedroom for Wright's daughter Catherine, there is a Japanese Print Table, designed by Wright in 1898, used as a desk. In front of desk is a low back chair that matches this Coonley low back chair. Wright also designed a low bak chair for William E. Martin Residence, Oak Park, Illinois (1902 - S.061).
Frank Lloyd Wright also designed a matching high back dining room chair for the Coonley's in 1907. Wright made slight modifications to the Coonley high back chair for Isabel Roberts Residence(1908 - S.150).
Lower text: "Dressing Table. Bed Room #1." Hand written lower left: "0803.51." Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives, Avery Library, Columbia University. (FLLW #0803.51) See additional details...
Size: 10 x 6.5 B&W photograph.
S#: 0080.57.0323Date: 1908
Description: Coonley Residence (1907 - S.135) 1908. View of the Pool and Terrace. Avery and Queene Ferry Coonley are on the right. Their daughter Elizabeth is playing by the pool in the center. Verso: "Photographed by Clarence Fuermann, The Chicago Architectural Photographing Co." Published in "Frank Lloyd Wright Ausgefuhrte Bauten", Wright, 1911, p 119.
Size: Original 10 x 8 B&W photograph.
S#: 0085.20.0112
Date: 1908
Title: Coonley Residence 1908 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Copy of the photograph published in "Frank Lloyd Wright Ausgefuhrte Bauten, 1911, p.117. View of the Pool and Terrace. Photographed at the same time as S#85.20. The children's playroom is on the first level in the center. The main level is the upper level. The Living Room is in the center above the children's playroom, the Dining Room is on the left. Photographed by Clarence Fuermann, The Chicago Architectural Photographing Co."
Size: Original 16 x 20 B&W photograph.
S#: 0085.40.0218Date: 1908
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, 1908 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Back elevation viewed from the Northwest. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. The Coonley's daughter Elizabeth is standing by a tree. The swimming pool is to the far right. The children's playroom is on the first level in the center. The main level was raised to the upper level. The Living Room is in the center above the children's playroom, the Dining Room is on the left. "The Coonley house is one of the great masterpiece of all time. In it the architect has been given full reign to produce a work in which every facet came from his own imagination, and produced a unity we rarely see in the world of architecture." Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Frank Lloyd Wright Monograph 1907-1913, 1987/1991, p.2. Published in Frank Lloyd Wright, Ausgefuhrte Bauten, Wright, 1911, p.119. Mounted to gray board. Label pasted to board: "182, R52453, B13C, 41. Riverside, Illinois. Coonley House. 1907-1908. Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright (1969- ). Label pasted to verso: Gift of the Carnegie Corporation." Photographed by Clarence Fuermann, The Chicago Architectural Photographing Co. Acquired from the archives of the University of Minnesota.
Size: Original 9 x 6.5 B&W Photograph.
S#: 0085.48.0420Date: 1910 Description: Coonley Living Room (1907 - S.135 ) Circa 1910. View of the right side. Copper Urn on the right. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. High res digital image. For more information see our Wright Study on Browne's Bookstore.
Size: 8 x 5.5
0094.09.0311
Date: 1910
Title: Coonley Living Room Circa 1910 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: View of the right side of the Living Room. Very similar to the view in FLW Ausgefurhrte Bauten, Wright, 1911, p.124. A Wright designed Copper Urn is on the right. This print was used by The University Prints. Cambridge, Mass., for publishing "A Special Study Set of Fine Art Reproductions" 1961, plate 81. Acquired from the archives of The University Prints. Cambridge, Mass. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. 8 x 5.5 Print.
Size: Original 10 x 4 B&W photograph.
S#: 0094.53.0118Date: 1910 Description: Coonley Living Room (1907 - S.135 ) Circa 1910. View of the left side. Copper Urn on the left. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. High res digital image. For more information see our Wright Study on Browne's Bookstore.
Size: 8.5 x 6.5
0094.10.0311
Date: 1910 Description: Coonley Living Room Hall (1907 - S.135 ) Circa 1910. Hallway viewed from Living Room. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. High res digital image. For more information see our Wright Study on Browne's Bookstore.
Size: 10 x 7.5
0094.11.0311
Date: Circa 1910
Title: Coonley Residence Living Room Hall Circa 1910 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Copy of the photograph published in "Frank Lloyd Wright Ausgefuhrte Bauten" p.125. Hallway viewed from Living Room. One of two Wright designed Urns can be seen in the center. Photographed by Henry Fuermann.
Size: Original 16 x 20 B&W photograph.
S#: 0094.54.0218Date: Circa 1910
Title: Coonley Living Room Hall (1907 - S.135 ) Circa 1910.Description: Hallway looking toward Living Room. Two Urns were placed symmetrically in the Living Room. Wright used this same symmetry in the Waller Dining Room and possibly his own Dining Room. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. High res digital image. For more information see our Wright Study on Browne's Bookstore.
Size: 10 x 7.5
S#: 0094.12.0311
Date: Circa 1910
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, IL, Living Room Hall Circa 1910 (1907 - S.135).
Description: View of the Living Room Hall, from the Dining Room toward the Living Room. Two copper urns were placed symmetrically in the Living Room, one can be seen on the left, the other in the background in the center. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. A very similar view was illustrated in the Ausgefuhrte Bauten in 1910, Plate LVIa (56a), and the same similar view was published in both Frank Lloyd Wright Ausgefuhrte Bauten, 1911, p.121, and Frank Lloyd Wright Chicago, 1911, p.99. Stamped on verso: "Chicago Architectural Photo Co.," and "Photographic Archive, Art History Department, University of Minnesota." Hand written on verso: "F. L. Wright. The Avery Coonley House (Gallery). Riverside, Illinois 1908." Photographed by the Chicago Architectural Photographing Company, Chicago. Acquired from the archives of the University of Minnesota.
Size: Original 10 x 8 B&W photograph.
S#: 0094.72.0420
(Left: Detail of the Copper Urn.)
Date: 1911
Title: Avery Coonley Coach House, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137).
Description: Two original transom windows from the Avery Coonley Coach House. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1911. Wright created a different design for all four Coonley buildings, and for some buildings, multiple designs. We were able to identify two different designs for the Coach House. The original plan for the building was as a garage and stable including a horse stable, carriage garage, tack room, hay loft, chicken coop, cow barn, coachman's apartment and workshop. Many changes and upgrades have taken place over the last one-hundred plus years. Gone are the animals, and anything to do with them, and today it has been painstakingly transformed into a beautiful single-family residence, adapting Frank Lloyd Wright's original design. According to the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, "Existing casement light screens were replaced and new structural framing was done for new windows and doors... About 70 existing in-place art glass windows plus a dozen more found in the attic, were removed, restored and put back in place. About 18 new art glass windows recreating this design were added."
Like in the main Coonley House, we were able to identify two different designs for the Coach House. Both used lead cames, but lacked colored glass like the other three coonley buildings. Today, this design can be found in the Dining Room windows. Providence Avery Coonley House, Riverside, IL. Acquired from Toomey & Company, Chicago. Two windows. Cames are 7/16" and 3/16" wide. The outer frame is 9/16" wide. Each window is made up of 12 pieces of clear glass.
Size: Two windows: 11.25 High x 44.5 Wide x .5 Deep.
S#: 0104.29.0623 (1-2)
See additional details...
See additional details...Date: Circa 1914-15 Description: Mrs. Lydia Avery Coonley Ward. The Mother of Wright client Avery Coonley (1907 - S.135) Circa 1914-15. Lydia Avery Coonley was born in Virginia on Jan 31, 1845 to Benjamin Franklin and Susan Look Avery. Lydia Avery Coonley became a writer, publishing many poems. One poem entitled "Indian Summer", was published in the Nov 3, 1894 "The Outlook". She compiled a number of poems and published "Singing Verses for Children". She was also the author of "Under The Pines and Other Verses", published in 1895 by another client of Wright's, Chauncey Williams, of Way & Williams. She also wrote and published "Washington and Lincoln". She was active in the women's movement, and was president of the Chicago Women's Club from 1895-1896. On March 18, 1897, Lydia Avery Coonley, a wealthy Chicago widow, married Naturalist Henry Augustus Ward. Courtesy of the New York Public Library.
Size: Original 3 x 4.25 B&W photograph.
S#: 0124.15.0112
Date: Circa 1915 Title: Avery Coonley Playhouse (1912 - S.174) interior, circa 1915.
Description: View of the interior from the East end toward the Fireplace. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. The Fireplace and Stage are in the background. The Kitchen is through the folding doors on the left. The Workshop is through the folding doors on the right. Wright designed art glass decorate the clerestory windows. Wright designed tables and chairs fill the Assembly area. Photographed by Henry Feurmann.
Size: 10 x 7.75 B&W photograph.
S#: 0128.13.0613
Date: 1921 Description: Mrs. Avery Coonley (1907 - S.135 ), October 14, 1921. Mrs. Avery Coonley and Miss Mary O. Wallace. This photograph taken one year after her husband, Avery Coonley past away. Queene Ferry Coonley, born Addie Elizabeth Ferry, (1874-1958), was born in Detroit to garden seed magnate Dexter Ferry and his wife Addie. Queene graduated from Vassar College in 1896, married Avery Coonley in 1901. They had one child, Elizabeth Ferry Coonley, born in 1902. Mrs. Avery (Queene Ferry) Coonley, a believer in the early childhood education, attempted to enroll her daughter in Kindergarten. She was denied entrance because her daughter was not yet five. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. The school continued to grow, and In 1916, moved to a new facility. In addition to her duties at school she was treasurer of the National Women's Party; a trustee of Vassar College and vice president of the Progressive Education Association. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Size: Original 7.25 x 10 B&W photograph.
S#: 0144.03.0112
Date: Circa 1923 Title: Avery Coonley Residence (1907 - S.135 ) circa 1923.
Description: View of Pool and Terrace. Living room is in the center on the second level, the Children's Playroom is on the ground floor. The two planters on either of the three sets of doors leading to the Playroom, originally connected as a single planter, with three sets of windows. Similar view published in "The Life-Work of the American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright" 1925, Page 22.
Size: Original 5 x 7 B&W photograph.
S#: 0156.25.0613
Date: 1923
Title: Avery Coonley Residence Circa 1923 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: View of Pool and Terrace. Living room is in the center on the second level, the Children's Playroom is on the ground floor. The two planters on either of the three sets of doors leading to the Playroom, originally connected as a single planter, with three sets of windows. Similar view published in "The Life-Work of the American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright" 1925, Page 22. This print was used by The University Prints. Cambridge, Mass., for publishing "A Special Study Set of Fine Art Reproductions" 1961, plate 81. Acquired from the archives of The University Prints. Cambridge, Mass.
Size: Original 10 x 3.25 B&W photograph.
S#: 0156.62.0118Date: 1923 (1951)
Title: Sixty Years of Living Architecture, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, 1951.
Description: Display #18: "Coonley House, Riverside, Near Chicago, 1908." Photographed circa 1923. Part of a set of forty B&W photographs by Ancillotti & Co., of the exhibition "Sixty Years of Living Architecture" held in Florence, Italy, 1951. "Sixty Years of Living Architecture: The Work of Frank Lloyd Wright" was a traveling exhibition of Wright's work, consisting of models, large photographs and original drawings. A Preview of the exhibition was held in Philadelphia at Gimbel Brothers Gallery in January, 1951. The world wide tour opened in Palazzo Strozzi Florence, Italy in June, 1951. Ancillotti & Company photographed many of the models and also documented the large photographs that were on display. Published in Sixty Years of Living Architecture: The Work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Moser, 1952, p.14. Also published in The Life-Work of the American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, 1925, Page 22.
Size: Original 9 x 7.25 B&W photograph.
S#: 0857.51.0221 -5Date: 1950 Description: Mrs. Avery Coonley (1907 - S.135 ), Circa 1950. Queene Ferry Coonley, born Addie Elizabeth Ferry, (1874-1958), was born in Detroit to garden seed magnate Dexter Ferry and his wife Addie. Queene graduated from Vassar College in 1896, married Avery Coonley in 1901. They had one child, Elizabeth Ferry Coonley, born in 1902. Mrs. Avery (Queene Ferry) Coonley, a believer in the early childhood education, attempted to enroll her daughter in Kindergarten. She was denied entrance because her daughter was not yet five. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. The school continued to grow, and In 1916, moved to a new facility. In addition to her duties at school she was treasurer of the National Women's Party; a trustee of Vassar College and vice president of the Progressive Education Association. In 1954, Queene Ferry Coonley published "Great thoughts: an anthology of sayings, garnered over the years". She past away in the same year a Wright, 1959. Courtesy of the Avery School.
Size: Original 5 x 5.5 B&W photograph.
S#: 0831.25.0112
Date: Circa 1957
Title: Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. Main Entrance. Circa 1957 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: View of the main entrance. The main entrance is through the passageway. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Mounted to gray board. Label pasted to board: "Arch. U.S.A. 20th cent. Frank Lloyd Wright. Res. Avery Coonley, Riverside, Ill. (1908). Detail, entr. Wayne Andrews #1973. Indiana University, Fine Arts Department." Photographed by Wayne Andrews. Acquired from the archives of the Indiana University.
Size: Original 9.5 x 7.5 B&W Photograph.
S#: 1205.114.0920Date: 1970
Title: Riverside, A Village in a Park (Soft Cover) (Published by The Frederick Laws Olmsted Society of Riverside, Riverside, Illinois)
Author: Heidrich, Robert W.
Description: Pages 30-31: "Formost of Riverside's architectural works is the celebrated Coonley House at Coonley and Bloomingbank Roads. Of stucco and ornamental tile, it was completed in 1908, establishing once and for all Frank Lloyd Wright's supreme virtuosity in residential design. This is one of his Prairie Houses, also known as a Zoned House, with each function of the household in a separate wing. A gardener's cottage and greenhouse were added in 1911. A playhouse in 1912. The Frank Lloyd Wright house at 150 Nuttall Road (Tomek - S.128), built in 1907, is referred to as the Ship House, the porch at one end giving the effect of the brow of a ship and the long bank of windows on the second floor resembling portholes. These two houses are studied by architects and students from all over the world." Includes a groundplan and aerial perspective of the Coonley House, as well as one photograph of Coonley Playhouse. (First Edition)
Size: 5.5 x 8.5
Pages: Unpaginated (Pp 40)
S#: 1846.38.0919Date: 1974 Description: Coonley Residence Main Entrance. (1907 - S.135 ) 1974. Clipping pasted o verso: "Avery Coonley House. Evanston - Riverside is a lovely place. We've been thru it several times and thoroly (sp) enjoyed Sheldon Mix's story about it ("Perfection, Your Name is Riverside," May 19). But was that the Avery Coonley House you pictured, or was it the playhouse? Mrs. Joseph Standard. Indeed it was the playhouse. Here is a photo of Frank Lloyd Wright's Avery Coonley House, a national landmark. Sorry for he mix-up -- Ed." Stamped on clipping: "Jun 16 1974". Stamped on verso: "Apr 24 1974, J. Austad." Note: Ed still seems to be mixed-up. This is the main approach to the Coonley Residence, not the Playhouse. The Bedroom Wing in on the left, the Guest Room Wing on the right. See Select Houses 1, p170-173. Photographed by J. Austad.
Size: Original 10 x 7 B&W Print.
1963.04.0311
Date: 1977
Title: Coonley Residence Complex, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Set of 33 original 35mm slides of the Coonley Residence and Coach House photographed in September 1977. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. "The Coonley house is one of the great masterpiece of all time. In it the architect has been given full reign to produce a work in which every facet came from his own imagination, and produced a unity we rarely see in the world of architecture." Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Frank Lloyd Wright Monograph 1907-1913, 1987/1991, p.2. Avery Coonley graduated from Harvard, then took graduate work at M.I.T. He married... Continue...
Size: Set of 33 original 35mm Color slide.
S#: 2033.33.0423 (1-33)
See Aditional photographs...
See Aditional photographs...Date: 1980 Publication: Frank Lloyd Wright: Drawings for the Coonley House
Author: Hasbrouck, Marilyn
Description: Printed in conjunction with an exhibition on Nov 15 - Dec 31, 1980, Prairie Avenue Bookstore. (First Edition)
Pages: 8
1980.03.0902
Date: Circa 1980
Title: Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows, Circa 1980 (Not Dated.) (1912 - S.174).
Description: Reproduction of the Avery Coonley Playhouse Triptych Leaded Art Glass windows. After Frank Lloyd Wright. This is a very close representation, but not exact. The upper third of each panel is very close to the original with minor variations. The lower two-thirds has been condensed in height. No manufacturer's marks on the frame or glass could be found. We searched the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation catalogs going back to the mid-1980s, but found no examples. We finally contacted the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and they did not recognize it as one of their licenced products. Oakbrook Esser Studio, does have a licence to produce Wright art glass, but this was not manufactured by them. We can only surmise that this may have been manufactured prior to the Foundation licencing products. Both the art glass and frame are well constructed.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1912. Mrs. Queene Ferry Coonley graduated from Vassar College in 1896 and married Avery Coonley in 1901... See additional photographs...
Size: Glass: 19.25" x 45." Frame: 22" x 62.75." Three panels: 66" x 62.75."
ST#: 1996.65.0123Date: 1981 Title: Coonley Residence Living Room End Table (1907 - S.135 ) 1981.
Description: Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, a table within a table. Prominently photographed in the Coonley Living Room in 1910, and included in the Wasmuth Portfolio, 1910, Plate LVI. Light oak, 25.75 (H) x 30 (W) x 16 (D). Photographed by Thomas Heinz. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
Size: Two original 8 x 10 B&W photographs.
ST#: 1981.67.0413
Date: 1981 Title: Coonley Residence Living Room End Table (1907 - S.135 ) 1981.
Description: Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, a table within a table. Prominently photographed in the Coonley Living Room in 1910,, and included in the Wasmuth Portfolio, 1910, Plate LVI. Light oak, 25.75 (H) x 30 (W) x 16 (D). This photograph was published in "Frank Lloyd Wright", Kelmscott Galleries, 1981, page 18. Photographed by Quiriconi-Tropea Photographers. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
Size: Two original 8 x 10 B&W photographs and one 4x5 B&W negative.
ST#: 1981.68.0413
Date: 1981 Title: Coonley Residence Print Cabinet (1907 - S.135 ) 1981.
Description: Designed by Wright in 1907, for the storage of Japanese prints. Six drawers, constructed of birch 27 (H) x 24 (W) x 42 (D). See Important 19th and 20th Century Architectural Objects and Designs, 1990, Lot 501. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
Size: Original 6 x 4 color photograph.
ST#: 1981.69.0413
Date: 1981 Title: Coonley Residence Print Cabinet (1907 - S.135 ) 1981.
Description: Designed by Wright in 1907, six drawers, constructed of birch. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
Size: Original 3 x 3color photographs.
ST#: 1981.70.0413
Date: 1981 Title: Avery Coonley Playhouse 1912 Children's Side chair (1912 - S.174) 1981.
Description: Three-quarter view of the back. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. Frank Lloyd Wright designed child's side chair, 1912. The holes at the top allowed the back padding to be held in place by ropes. Birch, upholstered seat, 32.5 (H) x 15 (W) x 16.5 (D). A variation of the "slant-back" chair Wright designed for his Oak Park home in 1904. Photographed by Thomas Heinz. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
See Additional Wright Designed ChairsSize: Original 8 x 10 B&W photograph.
ST#: 1981.71.0413
Date: 1981 Title: Avery Coonley Playhouse 1912 Children's Side chair (1912 - S.174) 1981.
Description: A pair of chairs, three-quarter view of the front. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. Frank Lloyd Wright designed child's side chair, 1912. The holes at the top allowed the back padding to be held in place by ropes. Birch, upholstered seat, 32.5 (H) x 15 (W) x 16.5 (D). A variation of the "slant-back" chair Wright designed for his Oak Park home in 1904. Acquired from Kelmscott Galleries.
See Additional Wright Designed Chairs.Size: Original 10 x 8 color photograph.
ST#: 1981.72.0413
Date: 1988
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Low-Back Chair 1988 (1907 - S.135).
Description: Three-quarter view of a Avery Coonley low-back chair published in Important Frank Lloyd Wright and American Arts & Crafts Furnishings, Christie’s, June 11, 1988. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907-8. Catalog description: “Frank Lloyd Wright. The Avery Coonley Holuse, Riverside, Illinois, Circa 1908. Lot 115A. An Oak Low-back Spindle Side Chair. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Executed under the Direction of Niedecken-Walbridge for the Avery Coonley House, Riverside, Illinois, Circa 1908. The low back with handhold below the crest rail surmounting seven vertical spindles, with drop in seat. 27 1/4 Inch high.” Note: There is a Coonley low-back (dressing table chair) published in Frank Lloyd Wright, The Seat of Genius, 1997, p.37. There is also a Coonley chair published in The Arts & Crafts Price Guide Furniture, 1998, p.128. Courtesy of Christie’s, New York.
See Additional Wright Designed Chairs
Size: Copy 8 x 9.75 Color photograph.
ST#: 1988.142.1223Date: 1988 Publication: "Frank Lloyd Wright: The Art Institute of Chicago" (Published by Art
Institute of Chicago)Author: Art Institute of Chicago
Description: "Frank Lloyd Wright (American 1867-1959). Window Triptych from the Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois 1912. Clear and colored leaded glass in a wooden frame, center pane 89.5 x109.3cm; side panels 91.5x 19.8cm. each. Restricted gilt of Dr. and Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta and the Walter E. Heller Foundation,1986-88. The art Institute of Chicago." (First Edition)
Size: 35 x 26
ST#: 1988.31.0207
Date: 1989
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174).
Description: Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue.
Cassina: 609 Coonley, 1. Booklet Description: "Dining Chair, Coonley House, Scottswood, Riverside, Illinois, 1907. The Avery Coonley house, Riverside, Illinois, 1907, was one of the best executed and most completely detailed of all Wright's residential work. Every element throughout the house came directly from his designs, including the overall architectural concepts and the individual features of furniture and decorative objects. The slat-back chair traces its roots to the very beginning of his work, in his own home at Oak Park, through the Dana, Husser, Clark, Little, Willits and other houses. In each instance he would make a modification specifically for each particular client. In the case of the Coonley house, he modified the height of the chair to give contrast when placed in conjunction with the taller, more formal ones usually associated with his early dining sets."
This chair may have been designed as a chair for the Dressing Table in Bedroom #1. In the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives, Avery Library, there is a drawing for a dressing table and chair, FLLW #0803.51. This chair matches the drawing.
There is a matching chair in a photograph from 1911, Wright's Home and Studio (S#0104.15). In a bedroom for Wright's daughter Catherine... See additional photographs... See additional Wright Chairs...
Size: height (h): 27.5" (70 cm), seat height: 18.1" (46 cm), width (w): 16.9" (43 cm), depth (d): 18.5" (47 cm).
ST#: 1989.132.0223Date: 1989
Title: Cassina: 609 Coonley, 1 (Published by Cassina, Italy)
Author: Cassina
Description: Descriptive booklet for Avery Coonley low back chair.
Booklet Description: "Dining Chair, Coonley House, Scottswood, Riverside, Illinois, 1907. The Avery Coonley house, Riverside, Illinois, 1907, was one of the best executed and most completely detailed of all Wright's residential work. Every element throughout the house came directly from his designs, including the overall architectural concepts and the individual features of furniture and decorative objects. The slat-back chair traces its roots to the very beginning of his work, in his own home at Oak Park, through the Dana, Husser, Clark, Little, Willits and other houses. In each instance he would make a modification specifically for each particular client. In the case of the Coonley house, he modified the height of the chair to give contrast when placed in conjunction with the taller, more formal ones usually associated with his early dining sets." Booklet in plastic pouch: No. 02562.
Size: 2.75 x 7
Pages: Pp 8
ST#: 1989.133.0223Date: 1990 Description: Coonley Print Cabinet. Birch Print Cabinet designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1908) for the Avery Coonley Residence (S.135 - 1907). Three-quarter view. Stamped on verso: "Apr 11 ˜90". Label on verso: "Curly Birch Print Cabinet, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, for the Coonely (sp) estate complex, Riverside, Illinois, 1908. $250,000 / 300,000." Caption pasted on verso: "A curly birch print cabinet, designed in 1908 by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Coonley estate complex in Riverside has a pre-sale estimate of $250,000 to 300,000." Acquired from the archives of the Associated Press.
Size: Original 7 x 5 B&W photograph.
ST#: 1990.80.1110
Date: 1992
Title: Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Art Glass Reproduction 1992 (1907 - S.135 ).
Description: Andersen Prairie Rhythm Art Glass reproduction of the Avery Coonley window. "Four patterns adapted from windows Wright himself designed make up the Frank Lloyd Wright Series in the Art Glass Collection. Each remains true to the principles that governed Wright's original work. Simplicity, unity and nature. Two of the designs in this series revive art glass windows from Prairie Style homes designed by Wright. The third is from a home Wright designed to be constructed of patterned concrete blocks, while the fourth is an adaptation of windows created for Unity Temple..."
"Prairie Rhythm: The repeated use of rectangles and squares is evident in this art glass design inspired by the windows created for the Avery Coonley Home. Wright himself believed this residence represented his best work in Prairie Style architecture."
This window is the top half of vertical window "C15" or "C155", and is made up of 101 pieces of frosted white, green glazed and clear glass pieces. Manufactured by Andersen Corporation.
Size: 19.6" Wide x 26.6" Tall
ST#: 1992.157.0523Date: 1993 Description: Avery Coonley Teapot & Two Cups, Art Institute of Chicago
1993.17.0800
Date: 2009
Title: The Gardener’s Cottage In Riverside, Illinois. Living in a “Small Masterpiece” by Frank Lloyd Wright, Jens Jensen, and Frederick Law Olmsted (Hard Cover DJ) (Published by The Center For American Places, At Columbia College, Chicago)
Author: Maloney, Cathy Jean
Description: Dust Jacket: Riverside, Illinois, heralded and admired for its innovative suburban plan, was designed in 1869 by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his professional partner, architect Calvert Vaux. Their unique plan, which showcased the contours of the land and emphasized building setbacks with sidewalks, curvilinear streets, and open spaces, remains a model today for landscape historians and New Urbanists alike. No wonder thousands of people visit Riverside each year.
Riverside also inspired the greatest designers of the time to undertake projects there, among them the Avery Coonley estate, a rare joint effort by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and landscape architect Jens Jensen that is now a National Historic Landmark. An integral part of the estate is the single-family residence known as the Gardener's Cottage, a small but unassuming masterpiece built for the estate's gardener and his wife. The cottage not only matches Wright's architectural aesthetic for the estate, but its stunning gardens inspired by Jensen reflect the overall emphasis by Olmsted and Vaux on integrating nature into the suburban landscape... (First Edition)
Size: 7.25 x 9.25
Pages: Pp 109
ST#: 2009.68.1024Date: 2014 Title: Coonley House Drawings (Soft Cover, Wire Bound) (Published by John Randal Publishing and Wilkerson & Hughes, LLC. Regina, SK, Canada, Altoona, Florida)
Author: John Randal Publishing; Wilkerson & Hughes
Description: The Coonley house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 20th century. It is located in Riverside, IL near Chicago. This is considered an important example of Prairie Home designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. This book is entirely composed of measured drawings conducted by the American Historical Building Survey. The original drawings were scanned and reduced to a full size book format. The pages contain high resolution black line drawings on Cream color paper. Original list price $6.95. (First Edition)
Size: 8.5 x 11
Pages: Pp 17
ST#: 2014.15.1014
Date: 2012
Title: Frank Lloyd Wright's Coonley House. Story of a Masterpiece (Soft Cover) (Published by Dean Eastman, Coonley House, Riverside, Illinois)
Author: Eastman, Dean
Description: This book is a story of the creation of the Coonley House complex, its evolution over a century, and its recent restoration. Based on his comments in his Autobiography this house is often regarded as Wright's finest Prairie house and is considered to be one of the terminal masterpieces of his Prairie period.
The book includes a chapter which describes the lives of Queene Ferry Coonley and Avery Coonley and their client-architect relationship formed during and after the building of the Coonley House. An extensive chapter describes Wright's design of the Coonley House complex, which evolved through a series of site plans and building alterations, and includes Wright's and Jensen's landscape plans.
Five chapters describe extensive exterior and interior tours of the complex in the Coonley era (1907-1917), mid-century period (1940s and 1950s), and the current era (2000-2014) with historic images and colored images in the current era. Original list price $27.00.
Size: 8.5 x 11
Pages: Pp 242
ST#: 2012.37.1023AVERY COONLEY COACH HOUSE TRANSOM WINDOW (1911)
Avery Coonley Coach House, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Two transom windows from the Avery Coonley Coach House. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1911. Wright created a different design for all four Coonley buildings, and for some buildings, multiple designs. We were able to identify two different designs for the Coach House. The original plan for the building was as a garage and stable including a horse stable, carriage garage, tack room, hay loft, chicken coop, cow barn, coachman's apartment and workshop. Many changes and upgrades have taken place over the last one-hundred plus years. Gone are the animals, and anything to do with them, and today it has been painstakingly transformed into a beautiful single-family residence, adapting Frank Lloyd Wright's original design. According to the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, "Existing casement light screens were replaced and new structural framing was done for new windows and doors... About 70 existing in-place art glass windows plus a dozen more found in the attic, were removed, restored and put back in place. About 18 new art glass windows recreating this design were added."
Like in the main Coonley House, we were able to identify two different designs for the Coach House. Both used lead cames, but lacked colored glass like the other three coonley buildings. Today, this design can be found in the Dining Room windows. Providence Avery Coonley House, Riverside, IL. Acquired from Toomey & Company, Chicago. Two windows. Cames are 7/16" and 3/16" wide. The outer frame is 9/16" wide. Each window is made up of 12 pieces of clear glass. Two windows: 11.25 High x 44.5 Wide x .5 Deep. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2)
1) Detail of the Avery Coonley Coach House Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Copyright 2023 Douglas M. Steiner. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2) 2) Detail of the Avery Coonley Coach House Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Copyright 2023 Douglas M. Steiner. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2) 3) Detail of the Avery Coonley Coach House Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Copyright 2023 Douglas M. Steiner. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2) 4) Detail of the Avery Coonley Coach House Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Copyright 2023 Douglas M. Steiner. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2) 5) Detail of the Avery Coonley Coach House Leaded Art Glass Transom Windows, 1911 (1911 - S.137). Copyright 2023 Douglas M. Steiner. (S#0104.29.0623 : 1-2) 6) Coonley Coach House Dining Room, 2019. Courtesy of Baird & Warner. 7) Detail of the Coonley Coach House Dining Room windoews, 2019. Courtesy of Baird & Warner. AVERY COONLEY RESIDENCE AND COACH HOUSE (1977)
Avery Coonley Residence Complex, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Set of 33 original 35mm slides of the Coonley Residence and Coach House photographed in September 1977. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. "The Coonley house is one of the great masterpiece of all time. In it the architect has been given full reign to produce a work in which every facet came from his own imagination, and produced a unity we rarely see in the world of architecture." Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Frank Lloyd Wright Monograph 1907-1913, 1987/1991, p.2. Avery Coonley graduated from Harvard, then took graduate work at M.I.T. He married Queene Ferry of Detroit, Michigan in1901. A businessman and industrialist, he was very active in a number of businesses. Manufacturing, publishing, merchandising, real estate and live stock to name a few. He was a director of "The Dial Co.", owned by another of Wright's clients, Francis Fisher Browne (Browne's Bookstore). Mounted in a plastic sleeve. Stamped on face of slide mount: "Sep 77 - 01 (-33)." Photographer unknown.
1) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-1) 2) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-2) 3) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-3) 4) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-4) 5) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-5) 6) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-6) 7) Avery Coonley Residence Coach House, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence Coach House photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-7) 8) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-8) 9) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-9) 10) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-10) 11) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-11) 12) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-12) 13) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-13) 14) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-14) 15) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-15) 16) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-16) 17) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-17) 18) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-18) 19) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-19) 20) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-20) 21) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-21) 22) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-22) 23) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-23) 24) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-24) 25) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-25) 26) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-26) 27) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-27) 28) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-28) 29) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-29) 30) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-30) 31) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-31) 32) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-32) 33) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois. 1977 (1907 - S.135 ). Original 35mm slide of the Coonley Residence photographed in September 1977. Copyright 2023. (S#2033.33.0423-33) AVERY COONLEY PLAYHOUSE ART GLASS TRIPTYCH (CIRCA 1980)
Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows, Circa 1980 (Not Dated.) (1912 - S.174). Reproduction of the Avery Coonley Playhouse Triptych Leaded Art Glass windows. After Frank Lloyd Wright. This is a very close representation, but not exact. The upper third of each panel is very close to the original with minor variations. The lower two-thirds has been condensed in height. No manufacturer's marks on the frame or glass could be found. We searched the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation catalogs going back to the mid-1980s, but found no examples. We finally contacted the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and they did not recognize it as one of their licenced products. Oakbrook Esser Studio, does have a licence to produce Wright art glass, but this was not manufactured by them. We can only surmise that this may have been manufactured prior to the Foundation licencing products. Both the art glass and frame are well constructed. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1912. Mrs. Queene Ferry Coonley graduated from Vassar College in 1896 and married Avery Coonley in 1901. They had one child, Elizabeth Ferry Coonley, born in 1902. Mrs. Avery (Queene Ferry) Coonley, a believer in the early childhood education, attempted to enroll her daughter in Kindergarten. She was denied entrance because her daughter was not yet five. In 1906, Mrs. Coonley formed the Cottage School in Riverside, Illinois, a private independent school. In 1912, Wright designed the Coonley Playhouse to accommodate the growth of the Cottage School. Not only did Frank Lloyd Wright designed the art glass windows he also designed the tables and Chairs. Including the main Triptych windows, he designed a total of 38 windows for the Playhouse. No two were alike. The school continued to grow, and In 1916, moved to a new facility.
1) Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. Panels are outstreched. (ST#1996.65.0123) 2) Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. Hinges are designed to swing both directions. (ST#1996.65.0123) 3) Detail of left panel. Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. (ST#1996.65.0123) 4) Detail of left panel. Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. (ST#1996.65.0123) 5) Detail of center panel. Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. (ST#1996.65.0123) 6) Detail of right panel. Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, Leaded Art Glass Triptych Windows. (ST#1996.65.0123) 7) Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, 2018. Courtesy of VHT Studios. 8) Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, 2018. Courtesy of VHT Studios. 9) Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, 2018. Courtesy of VHT Studios. AVERY COONLEY LOW BACK CHAIR (1989)
Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue.
Cassina: 609 Coonley, 1. Booklet Description: "Dining Chair, Coonley House, Scottswood, Riverside, Illinois, 1907. The Avery Coonley house, Riverside, Illinois, 1907, was one of the best executed and most completely detailed of all Wright's residential work. Every element throughout the house came directly from his designs, including the overall architectural concepts and the individual features of furniture and decorative objects. The slat-back chair traces its roots to the very beginning of his work, in his own home at Oak Park, through the Dana, Husser, Clark, Little, Willits and other houses. In each instance he would make a modification specifically for each particular client. In the case of the Coonley house, he modified the height of the chair togive contrast when placed in conjunction with the taller, more formal ones usually associated with his early dining sets."
This chair may have been designed as a chair for the Dressing Table in Bedroom #1. In the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives, Avery Library, there is a drawing for a dressing table and chair, FLLW #0803.51. This chair matches the drawing.
There is a matching chair in a photograph from 1911, Wright's Home and Studio (S#0104.15). In a bedroom for Wright's daughter Catherine, there is a Japanese Print Table, designed by Wright in 1898, used as a desk. In front of desk is a low back chair that matches this Coonley low back chair. Wright also designed a low bak chair for William E. Martin Residence, Oak Park, Illinois (1902 - S.061).
Frank Lloyd Wright also designed a matching high back dining room chair for the Coonley's in 1907. Wright made slight modifications to the Coonley high back chair for Isabel Roberts Residence (1908 - S.150).
Manufactured by Cassina, Italy. Constructed on natural cherry. Fabric: Cobalt Blue. Frame: Lacquered. Stamped on base: "Cassina (C). Frank Lloyd Wright. No. 02562. Frank Lloyd Wright (R) (Signature). (C) 1989 FLWFdn." See additional Wright Chairs...
1) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 2) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 3) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 4) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 5) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 6) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 7) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 8) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 9) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 10) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 11) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Low back chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. Executed by Cassina in 1989. Low back with handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back. Constructed on natural cherry, lacquered. Fabric is cobalt blue. (ST#1989.132.0223) 12) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Chair (1912 - S.174). Stamped on base: "Cassina (C). Frank Lloyd Wright. No. 02562. Frank Lloyd Wright (R) (Signature). (C) 1989 FLWFdn." (ST#1989.132.0223) COONLEY DRESSING TABLE CHAIR 1) Avery Coonley Residence, Riverside, Illinois, Dressing Table, Bedroom #1 (FLLW #0803.51) (1907 - S.135 ). Front and side view of the dressing table and side view of the chair. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, the chair was executed in 1908. We could not find examples of this table, but many examples the the chair. In 1989, Cassina produced a low back that matched this drawing but called it a dining room chair. The Cassina: 609 Coonley, 1. Was designed with a handhold below the crest rail. There is a space at the base of the back of the chair that mirrors the Handhold at the top. Eight shorter spindles run parallel to a long and larger spindle on either side. Horizontal trim runs along the base of the seat and runs along the front, sides and back. Like the crest tail that curves out at the top, the base of the legs curve outward also. Forward in the front, backwards in the back.
There is a matching chair in a photograph from 1911, Wright's Home and Studio (S#0104.15). In a bedroom for Wright's daughter Catherine, there is a Japanese Print Table, designed by Wright in 1898, used as a desk. In front of desk is a low back chair that matches this Coonley low back chair. Wright also designed a low bak chair for William E. Martin Residence, Oak Park, Illinois (1902 - S.061).
Frank Lloyd Wright also designed a matching high back dining room chair for the Coonley's in 1907. Wright made slight modifications to the Coonley high back chair for Isabel Roberts Residence(1908 - S.150).
Lower text: "Dressing Table. Bed Room #1."Hand written lower left: "0803.51." Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives, Avery Library, Columbia University. (FLLW #0803.51) (S#0080.57.0323)2) Detail of the Avery Coonley Dressing Table chair.
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