Frank Lloyd Wright

en suite with the following two lots

Thomas P. Hardy, Racine, Wisconsin, 1905-1938
Thomas P. Hardy House, Racine, Wisconsin, various owners by acquisition of the house, 1938-2012
Eugene Szymczak, Racine, Wisconsin, 2012

Julie L. Sloan, Light Screens: The Complete Leaded-Glass Windows of Frank Lloyd Wright, New York, 2001, p. 63

Overall good condition consistent with age and exposure to the elements. The glass of both windows with surface soiling throughout and concentrated to the contours adjacent to the caming. The glass with some extremely minor surface scratches throughout and with some traces of paint, likely from the frames being repainted at some point in their history. The caming with some traces of corrosion throughout and with some minor bending to the horizontal cames. The original frames with wear, surface soiling, abrasions, and scratches consistent with age and exposure, and with some occasional small losses to the wood at the edges. The frames with some occasional minor lifting and rippling to the painted surface and shadows of old hardware including some drilled holes. The frames have pulled away slightly from the window panes likely due to the natural aging of the wood, stable. The metal straps surrounding the exterior of the frame are pulling away slightly from the frame in some areas. The window picture on the right in the catalogue illustration with a small V-shaped crack in the long horizontal white tile, visible in the catalogue illustration. Please contact the department for additional images of the windows in their frames.
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.

Perched on a bluff along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Thomas P. Hardy house stands as an essential example of Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic Prairie style. In this commission, Wright employed symmetry and studied lines to integrate the structure with its surrounding landscape and impart the home with balance and serenity. From the exterior, the building is characterized by its horizontality and mirrored courtyards flanking the central structure. These design principles extend to the interior of the home, in which the floor plan of each level was conceived symmetrically, and they also carry through to the windows. The present windows encapsulate the overarching compositional theme of the building, as well as demonstrate Wright's interest in Japanese aesthetics with their interlocking geometric motif.