Frank Lloyd Wright

Avery and Queene Ferry Coonley, Avery Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, 1912-1920
Thence by acquisition of the Avery Coonley Playhouse, 1920-1967
Elliot Golub, Winnetka, Illinois, 1967-1986
Domino’s Center for Architecture and Design, Ann Arbor, Michigan, acquired from the above, 1986
Christie’s New York, December 9, 1994, lot 245 (one of two)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

David A. Hanks, The Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, New York, 1979, pp. 112-113 (for the commission and period photographs of the present windows in situ)
Frank LLoyd Wright: Art in Design, exh. cat., Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, 1983, pp. 30 (for a period photograph of the present windows in situ)
David A. Hanks, Frank Lloyd Wright, Preserving an Architectural Heritage, Decorative Designs from The Domino's Pizza Collection, exh. cat., New York, 1989, pp. 74-81 (for the commission and a period photograph of the present windows in situ) and 78-79 (for lots 119 and 120 illustrated)
Anthony Alofsin, Frank Lloyd Wright: The Lost Years, 1910-1922, A Study of Influence, Chicago, 1993, p. 73 (for a period photograph of the present windows in situ)
Terence Riley, ed., Frank Lloyd Wright: Architect, exh. cat., The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1994, p. 165 (for a period photograph of the present windows in situ)
Thomas A. Heinz, Frank Lloyd Wright: Glass Art, Berlin, 1994, pp. 149-153 (for the commission and period photographs of the present windows in situ)
Julie L. Sloan, Light Screens: The Complete Leaded Glass of Frank Lloyd Wright, New York, 2001, pp. 284-293 (for the commission, illustrations, period photographs of the present windows in situ and artist sketches) and 291, no. 371 (for the present lot illustrated)
Dean Eastman, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Coonley House: Story of a Masterpiece, 2012, pp. 71-77 (for the commission and period photographs of the present windows in situ)

Overall very good condition. The window has been exceptionally well-preserved by the prior owner and sensitively, professionally conserved in order to maintain the original integrity of the materials. All of the glass and caming appear original and undisturbed. The glass with some scattered minute air bubbles inherent in the making and not visually detractive. The glass surfaces throughout with some extremely minor and fine surface scratches consistent with age and gentle handling. The window with some extremely light surface soiling concentrated to the contours adjacent to the caming. One small black tile on the lower right side with a tight hairline spider crack visible on the reverse, entirely stable. Some areas of the caming have been filled in with new putty consistent with the original production process in order to stabilize the glass. The window with a later replaced wood frame which was executed to emulate the aesthetic and proportions of the original frame. The frame with expected wear consistent with age and handling, including scattered surface scratches, abrasions and occasional white scuffs. The front of the frame with a small area of dried adhesive residue at the approximate midpoint of the left side measuring approximately 1 1/2 x 1 inch. The upper, left and right wood fitters on the reverse securing the windows within the frame all appear stable; the bottom fitter is lacking. A particularly sophisticated and modernist example from the Coonley Playhouse clerestory window scheme capturing the spirit of Wright’s “Kinder-Symphony” with iconic graphic confetti.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The designs for the Coonley Playhouse are among the most highly prized windows by Frank Lloyd Wright, and some eleven international institutions have acquired examples for their collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Los Angeles County Art Museum; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Die Neue Sammlung, Munich; and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.