The House Beautiful in a Setting Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright's Mother's Copy!!) SIGNED
River Forest, Illinois: Auvergne Press, 1896. Frank Lloyd Wright. Half Calf. A deeply-personal Association copy of the 1896 1st edition of Frank Lloyd Wright's 1st published book, #37 OF ONLY 90 COPIES PRINTED. THIS COPY BELONGED TO FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S MOTHER, ANNA LLOYD WRIGHT, WHO SIGNED HER NAME ON THE FIRST BLANK ENDPAPER AND ALSO INCLUDED A PRINTED, LAID-IN CARD. Small folio, original half-polished calf with gilt-line borders and green paper-covered sides; top-edge gilt. 55 pages. SIGNED BY BOTH FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND W.H. WINSLOW (one of Wright's most important early clients) at the limitation. "Printed by hand at the Auvergne Press in River Forest by William Herman Winslow and Frank Lloyd Wright during the winter months of the year eighteen hundred ninety six and seven". Though Wright did not write the text, this really has to be considered his first book as the page decorations were entirely designed by him; in addition, the volume incorporates a booklet sewn to the front endpaper which contains a series of twelve hand-printed collotypes of dried weeds from photographs made by Wright. (Wright himself considered this his first book and said so in a letter to the Boston bookseller Samuel R. Morrill, "The Turn of a Century", #141). It is a famous book, both in the history of Frank Lloyd Wright and as an outstanding American press book. This copy descended in the family of Maginel Wright Barney, Frank Lloyd Wright's youngest sister. Edges of covers are somewhat worn; corners have been restored. Rebacked in matching polished calf. Very light old water stain in lower gutter splaying out to lower blank margins of both rectos and versos; hardly noticeable. Preserved in a handsome, dark-green, custom-made clamshell box. Very Good. Item #21941
Price: $35,000.00