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Frank Lloyd Wright
Designed Weed Holder and Copper Urn |
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Weed Holder
Copper Urn
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Copper "Weed
Holder" Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright |
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Wright began experimenting with
variations for designs of Weed Holders and Urns as early as 1894,
"Monograph 1887-1901" Pfeiffer, 1991, pages 60-61.
John Lloyd right wrote "Not satisfied with the
bric-a-brac of the day, Father designed his own. The copper
weed-holders pictured to the right and left of the chair are
his early creations. Father liked weeds!"
"My Father Who
is on Earth", 1946, page 24. Examples of the Weed Holder are
not as plentiful as those of the Copper Urn.
It was one of Wright's
favorite objects. He included it in a number of drawings and
projects he worked on, including the
Husser house, his own Home and Studio, the
Dana house |
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and
Browne's Bookstore. By 1925, one
was photographed in the Taliesin III Living Room,
"Nature of Materials",
Hitchcock, 1942, Plate 273.
In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright
produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. While
Wright included the Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates;
A) Browne's Bookstore
Plate
XXXVI (36); B) Coonley
Plate LVI
(56); and C) Coonley
Plate LVIb (56b), Wright included the Weed holder in just the first
Plate, the
Bowne's Bookstore. |
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Husser
Wright Home & Studio
Dana
Browne's
Stromquist
2001 Pewter |
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Weed Holder. This
original Weed Holder was sold at Christies Auction on
December 10, 1998 for $20,700. Designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright, executed by James A. Miller and Brother. According
to author Davis A. Hanks, this copper 'weed holder' was
probably designed subsequent to Frank Lloyd Wright
establishing an independent practice in 1893. Its first
documented appearance is in a circa1900 photograph, taken in the
architect's Oak Park home. This "individual flower holder"
became a familiar decorative object in his own residence and
those of his clients. 29" tall. Photograph courtesy Christies. |
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Weed Holder, Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York. Dated by Museum 1890-1900.
29.125 x 4.125 x 4.125". Photograph courtesy Metropolitan
Museum of Art. |
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Joseph and
Helen Husser Residence, Chicago (1899 - S.046) |
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are no records to indicate that the Copper Urn and
Candlesticks were produced for the Husser Residence, but
they are evident in this illustration published in
The Architectural Review,
June 1900. |
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2) Detail of the
Copper Urn and Candlesticks illustrated in the
Husser Residence.
Return to Husser Study. |
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Wright Home and Studio |
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1: Wright's Studio, Oak Park, Circa 1900. Copper Urn on
far left, Weed Holder is on the far right. Published
in Inland Architect, Volume XXXV, April 1900 (S.40),
and also published in the "Chicago Architectural
Club"
1900, p77. |
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2:
Wright's Octagonal Studio Library, Oak Park, Circa 1900. Copper Urn
is on the left, Weed Holder is in the center. Published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p64. |
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3: Wright Weed Holders, Studio Chair with Richard
Bock Sculpture in Oak Park Studio. Possibly staged by
Wright. Published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p65. Also published
in "Frank
Lloyd Wright, Ausgeführte
Bauten"
1911,
page 98. Chair was from Wright's Studio, see image
below (4). |
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4:
Wright's Octagonal Studio Library, Oak Park,
Circa 1900. Note chairs in background (left, center
and right). One was used in the photograph with
two Weed Holders above (3). Published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p65.
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Dana
Residence, Chicago (1902 - S.072) |
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| 1a:
Dana House Dining Room. Weed Holder center right. Published in "Frank
Lloyd Wright, Ausgeführte
Bauten"
1911,
page 36. |
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| 1b:
Detail of the Dana House Dining Room. Weed Holder center
right. |
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2a: Dana House Entrance Hall. Weed Holder in center. |
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2b: Detail of the Dana House Entrance Hall. Weed Holder
in center. |
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Browne's
Bookstore, Chicago (1908 - S.141) |
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1a: Exterior view of Browne's Bookstore entry from hallway,
1908. Two Weed Holders can be seen inside the
glass case. Published
in "Frank
Lloyd Wright, Ausgeführte
Bauten"
1911. |
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1b: Detail of Browne's Bookstore entry from hallway.
Two Weed Holders can be seen inside the glass case, left and
right. |
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2a: Wasmuth
Plate
XXXVI (36)
“Exposition building, containing an exhibition-room and lecture-room
for the Larkin Co. at the
Jamestown Exhibition;
and the interior of the Browne’s
Book-Store. A long narrow room in a down-town building converted
into a book-store. The walls and ceiling were re-formed, and
alcoves with chairs and tables provided for the convenience of
customers.” In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. The Copper Weed
Holder is
right of center.15.75 x 25.25. |
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| 2b:
Detail of
Plate
XXXVI
(36). There were a total of five identical coves, this being the
last one on the right. Two decorative items of note in this
illustration. The tall
weed holder and
copper urn. While
Wright included the Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates;
A) Browne's Bookstore Plate XXXVI; B) Coonley Plate LVI; and C) Coonley
Plate LVIb, Wright included the Weed holder in just the first Plate, the
Bowne's Bookstore. |
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| 2c:
Detail of
Plate
XXXVI
(36). The tall
weed holder is on the left, the
copper urn on the right. |
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Donald M.
and Jane Stromquist Residence (1958 - S.429) |
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The original Wright designed
dining room table built by Donald over forty years earlier,
was "pressed into service" again in 2000. Reproduction of a
Wright designed copper weed holder is sitting on the table.
Return to Stromquist
Study. |
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Weed Holder: Pewter 2001 |
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Pewter with Satin Finish, 2001. Frank Lloyd Wright began
experimenting with variations for designs of Weed Holders and
Urns as early as 1894, "Monograph
1887-1901" Pfeiffer, 1991, pages 60-61. This is a
half scale version of the original copper weed holder (14.5
inches tall, base is 2 inches wide). |
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"Copper
Urn" Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright |
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Wright began experimenting with
variations of the design for the Urn as early as 1894, and the
design of the first designed this copper urn in the late 1890's,
"Monograph 1887-1901" Pfeiffer, 1991, pages 60-61.
It was one of Wright's favorite objects. He included it in a
number of drawings and projects he worked on, including
those for the Husser house, Edward C. Waller house,
Wright's own Home and Studio, the
Dana house,
the Coonley house,
Browne's Bookstore and appeared in
an early image of Unity Temple. Eighteen inches tall,
and according to Hanks, "Decorative
Designs" 1979, p70-1, it was
executed by James |
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A. Miller and Brother.
In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright
produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. Wright included the
Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates.
A) Browne's Bookstore
Plate
XXXVI (36). B) Coonley
Plate LVI
(56). C) Coonley
Plate LVIb (56b).
The copper urn appears in two
drawings "Frank
Lloyd Wright: Drawings for a Living Architecture"
Kauffmann, 1959. It included in an illustration for the Dana
House, page 206 and as a single object, page 238. |
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McArthur
Husser
Waller
Wright Home & Studio
Dana
Unity Temple
Coonley
Browne's
Stromquist
2003 |
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Copper Urn. Wright first
designed this copper urn in the late 1890's. It appears in
several photos of the homes he created in the early 1900's.
It was one of Wright's favorite objects. It is known that at
least nine were made, including those for the Dana house,
Edward C. Waller house, Browne's Bookstore, and pairs for
both the Coonley house and Wright's own Home and Studio. 18
inches tall. This Urn was executed by James A. Miller and
Brother, for the Susan Lawrence Dana House, Springfield,
Illinois, circa 1903. Photograph courtesy Christies. |
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Warren
McArthur Residence 1959 (1892 - S.011) |
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Original drawing of
the Dining Room sideboard includes what appears to
be the copper urn designed by Wright. There is no
known record that one was produced for this home,
and it is the earliest example of the urn found to
date.
Frank Lloyd Wright Monograph 1887-1901 Volume 1.
Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. |
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Detail of the
original drawing of the Dining Room sideboard that
includes what appears to be the copper urn designed
by Wright.
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Joseph and
Helen Husser Residence, Chicago (1899 - S.046) |
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| 1) There
are no records to indicate that the Copper Urn and
Candlesticks were produced for the Husser Residence, but
they are evident in this illustration published in
The Architectural Review,
June 1900. |
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2) Detail of the
Copper Urn and Candlesticks illustrated in the
Husser Residence.
Return to Husser Study. |
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Edward C. Waller Residence (1899
- S.047) |
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1: Waller Dining Room Circa 1899. Possibly the first
opportunity for Wright to produce the Copper Urns.
Two Urns were placed symmetrically in the Dining Room, one on either
side of the build-in seating. Wright used this same
symmetry in the Coonley living Room and possibly his
own Dining Room. A similar photograph
was published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p63. Also published in this
issue are three photographs of the Urn in Wright's
Home and Studio. |
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2:
Waller Entryway Circa 1899. Copper Urn atop stairway
pedestal. |
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2:
Waller Copper Urn.
Wright began
experimenting with variations of the design for the
Urn as early as 1894. Eighteen inches tall, it was
executed by James A. Miller and Brother. Copper and
galvanized tin. 18.5 x 18.5. Wright's copper and tin
urn topped a newel-post in the 1899
Edward C. Waller House in
River forest. |
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Wright Home and Studio |
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1: Wright Dining Room Circa 1900. Copper Urn on
right in window sill. Possibly a second on the left
window sill. Wright symmetrically placed two Urns in
the Waller Dining Room and the Coonley Living Room.
Published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p62. Also published in
"Ladies
Home Journal", Jan 1903, p24. |
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2: Wright's Studio, Oak Park, Circa 1900. Copper Urn on
far left, weed holder is in the far right. Published
in Inland Architect, Volume XXXV, April 1900 (S.40),
and also published in the "Chicago Architectural
Club"
1900, p77. |
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3: Wright's Studio Octagonal Library, Oak Park, Circa 1900. Copper Urn on
left, weed holder is in the center. Published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p64. See similar image
below (4). |
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4: Wright's Studio Octagonal Library, Oak Park,
Circa 1900. Copper Urn on left. Similar image as
above (2). Note chairs in background (left, center
and right). One was used in the photograph with
two Weed Holders. There is a matching
photograph, minus Weed Holders, replaced with a
Copper Urn placed in the center of the chair is
published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p65.
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5a: Wright's
Oak Park Playroom, Circa 1900. Possible Copper Urn upper
right. Very similar image published in
"Architectural
Review" June 1900, p65. |
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5b:
Detail of Wright's Oak Park Playroom, Circa 1900.
Possible Copper Urn center right. |
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Dana
Residence, Chicago (1902 - S.072) |
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The copper urn appears in two
drawings in "Frank
Lloyd Wright: Drawings for a Living Architecture"
Kauffmann, 1959. It was included in an illustration for the
Dana House, page 206 and as a single object, page 238. |
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1a: Dana Residence Entrance Gallery. Copper Urn in
the upper left. |
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1b: Detail of the Dana Residence Entrance Gallery.
Prairie grass decorates the Urn. |
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2: View toward Library. Copper Urn can be seen over
the right shoulder of the Statue
of David. Of note is Wasmuth Plate
XXXIb, which is nearly an exact duplication of this view.
The Copper urn was indicated in the illustration, but only
as a round circular vase, no detail. Yet, in the working and
presentation illustrations, the Copper Urn is clearly
visible. See
"Frank Lloyd Wright’s Dana House" Hoffman, 1996, plates
25, 27, 66-67, 119. |
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Unity Temple,
Oak Park (1904 - S.096) |
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Early image of the Unity Temple. Copper Urn on the
center right. On December 8, 2002, Treadway Gallery auctioned
chairs from the Browne's Bookstore. According to Treadway, the
chairs were donated to Unity Temple after Browne's closed. Could
this Copper Urn have been among the items donated to Unity Temple?
Image courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.
Published in "The Nature of
Materials"
Hitchcock,
1942, Plate 121. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. |
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| 1b:
Detail of the Unity Temple Copper Urn. |
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Coonley
Residence, Chicago (1907 - S.135) |
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| 1a:
Coonley Living Room Circa 1910. View of the right
side. Copper Urn on the right. Photographed by Henry Fuermann.
Similar image in "Frank
Lloyd Wright, Ausgeführte
Bauten"
1911,
page 124. |
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| 1b:
Coonley Living Room detail. Copper Urn in center. |
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| 2a:
Wasmuth Plate LVI (56)
“Living room for Coonley, Riverside, Illinois.” In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright
produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. Copper Urn on the right.
Of interest is how similar this illustration is to the image (1a)
above.
Wright was in Europe
when he completed the final drawings for the
Wasmuth Portfolio.
This begs the question. Did Wright use the image above as a
foundation for this illustration. Compare perspectives of the detail
in the photograph above with the detail in the illustration below. 15.75 x 25.25. |
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| 2b:
Detail of
Plate LVI (56). Wright included the Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates.
A) Browne's Bookstore Plate XXXVI. B) Coonley Plate LVI. C) Coonley
Plate LVIb. |
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| 3a:
Coonley Living Room Circa 1910. View of the left
side. Copper Urn on the left. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. |
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| 3b: Coonley Living Room
detail,
left side. Copper Urn is on the left. |
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| 4a:
Coonley Hallway viewed from Living Room Circa 1910. Copper Urn
in the center. Photographed by Henry Fuermann. |
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| 4b: Coonley
Hallway detail viewed from the Living Room. Copper Urn in the
center. |
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| 5a:
Coonley Hallway looking toward Living Room Circa 1910. Copper Urn
on the far left and in the center. 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. |
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| 5b: Detail of Coonley
Hallway looking toward Living Room. Copper Urn on the far left and
on the right. |
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| 6a:
Wasmuth Plate LVIb (56b)
“Hallway of Coonley house, Riverside, Illinois.” In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright
produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. Copper Urn is on the
left side of the illustration on the right. Of interest is how
similar this illustration is to the image (5a) above.
Wright was in Europe
when he completed the final drawings for the
Wasmuth Portfolio.
This begs the question. Did Wright use the image above as a
foundation for this illustration. |
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| 6b:
Detail of Plate LVIb (56). Wright included the Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates.
A) Browne's Bookstore Plate XXXVI. B) Coonley Plate LVI. C) Coonley
Plate LVIb. |
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Browne's
Bookstore, Chicago (1908 - S.141) |
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1: Browne's
Bookstore 1908. View of
front Cove. Urn is on the right with oak leaves
decorating it. Two Urns were in Browne's Bookstore. |
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2a: Wasmuth
Plate
XXXVI (36)
“Exposition building, containing an exhibition-room and lecture-room
for the Larkin Co. at the
Jamestown Exhibition;
and the interior of the Browne’s
Book-Store. A long narrow room in a down-town building converted
into a book-store. The walls and ceiling were re-formed, and
alcoves with chairs and tables provided for the convenience of
customers.” In 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright produced the "Ausgeführte
Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright" (S.87),
published by Ernst Wasmuth, in Berlin. The Copper Urn is
right of center.15.75 x 25.25. |
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| 2b:
Detail of
Plate
XXXVI
(36). There were a total of five identical coves, this being the
last one on the right. Two decorative items of note in this
illustration. The tall
weed holder and
copper urn. Wright
included the Copper Urn in three Wasmuth plates.
A) Browne's Bookstore Plate XXXVI. B) Coonley Plate LVI. C) Coonley
Plate LVIb. |
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Detail of
Plate
XXXVI
(36). The tall
weed holder and
copper urn. |
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3a: Browne's
Bookstore 1908. Smaller or second room. View toward
fireplace. The Urn can be seen above the
fireplace. |
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| 3b: Detail of
Browne's Bookstore 1908. Smaller or second room. View toward
fireplace. The Urn can be seen above the
fireplace.
Return to Browne's Study. |
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Donald M.
and Jane Stromquist Residence (1958 - S.429) |
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A reproduction
of Wright's designed Copper Urn is setting on a
prairie styled pedestal
in the Living Room, 2009.
Return to Stromquist
Study. |
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Reproduction
Pewter Urn 2003 |
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| Frank Lloyd Wright Designed
Reproduction Pewter Urn, 2003. Wright began experimenting
with variations of the design for the Urn as early as 1894, and the
design of the first designed this copper urn in the late 1890's,
"Monograph 1887-1901" Pfeiffer, 1991, pages 60-61. It was one of
Wright's favorite objects. He included it in a number of drawings
and projects he worked on, including those for the Husser house,
Edward C. Waller house, Wright's own Home and Studio, the Dana
house, the Coonley house, Browne's Bookstore and appeared in
an early image of Unity Temple. The original was eighteen
inches tall. This is a one-third scale version of the
original copper urn. Stamped in base, Historical Arts logo and Frank Lloyd Wright
Collections logo. "Historical Arts & Casting Inc. 5580 West
Bagley Park Road, West Jordan, UT 84088." |
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PROCEEDS FROM EVERY SALE GOES TO SUPPORT THE WRIGHT LIBRARY.
