Monthly Update
New OA+D Publications Are HERE!
As the New Year is upon us we are happy to announce that our two new OA+D publications are finally back from the printer and available for order!
The first is the long awaited new book Frank Lloyd Wright's Two Jacobs Houses: Experiments in Modern Living, edited by Wright scholar and noted author, Neil Levine. The hardcover book features essay contributions by all three Jacobs children (Susan, Elizabeth, and William) as well as new essays by Levine and Michael Desmond. Additionally there will be new biographies of Katherine and Herb Jacobs, as well as scores of never-before-published photographs and drawings of both Jacobs Houses. It's the definitive publication on the history and experience of living in these icons of American architecture. You can place an order of this comprehensive book HERE
Secondly, the winter issue (Volume 10 :: Number 3) of our flagship publication, The Journal of Organic Architecture + Design is out and ready for orders. This double-sized issue is a landmark examination of Frank Lloyd Wright's Walker House in Carmel, CA. Written by celebrated author and historian Kathryn Smith, the journal features newly discovered research accompanied by never-before-published photos and drawings of one of Wright's most iconic and beloved architectural works. Subscribers should have automatically received their copies. If you need to renew your subscription so as not to miss this issue, do so HERE. Otherwise, you can order the individual issue HERE.
From The Archives
The OA+D Archives recently acquired two rare hand-painted bowls originally created by Japan's Meito China company for Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel. The bowls feature the "cabaret" pattern that would later be produced by the Noritake company.
Not much is known about this uncommon hand-painted Meito China, since many Japanese records are now lost. But a few different examples of plates, bowls, salt & pepper shakers, etc. have been discovered over the decades. OA+D is fortunate to hold several Imperial Hotel Meito China pieces in its collections, with these two bowls making a welcome addition. One theory about the creation of the Meito pieces is that in the rush to open the Hotel in the early 1920s, Noritake was tasked with handling the gold checkered pattern china for the main dining and banquet halls, while Meito was hired to supply this particular china pattern. It's hoped more information will surface to help discern what the history of these wonderful pieces actually entails.
2023 marks the 100th anniversary of Wright's Imperial Hotel, so the timely addition of these items will aid in long-term study, appreciation, and understanding of this lost architectural masterpiece. We are planning other special ways to mark the centennial of the Hotel—more to be announced soon!
If you happen to have other materials related to the Imperial Hotel (or any other organic architectural or design items) that you're interested in donating to join other materials like these, please let us know by contacting us at info@oadarchives.org.
Help Restore A Gene Masselink Masterpiece
Last month we announced a new initiative to restore Eugene Masselink's impressive hand-painted wood mural, originally created for the Flying Dutchman Bar. The 20-foot-long mural was salvaged from the fire-destroyed building, which was formerly of Spring Green, WI. Amazingly, the mural survived mostly intact with only moderate smoke and a water damage.
We've had the pieces professionally examined, documented, and initially surface-cleaned to determine the level of original paint that survives and to provide an general estimate for cost of its full restoration. In order to bring Gene's mural back to its stunning former glory, we're kicking 2023 off with a special campaign to raise $20,000 and we need YOUR help to meet this goal!
Raising the funds necessary to fully restore this remarkable mural masterpiece will be one of our main preservation goals for 2023. But that's not all.
Part of the process will be to execute a research "deep-dive" into the mural and TA project's history, to fully document the process or restoration to aid future efforts of this kind, and finally to investigate what went into Gene's creative process to make abstract works like this. This research will serve as the basis for a future publication and also to develop a traveling exhibition and other educational programs around the Taliesin Tradition of abstract design — with this restored mural as the centerpiece.
OA+D has a remarkable track record of completing successful projects like this — from recreating Wright's Call Building model to restore it back to its place at Taliesin, to saving several important collections on the brink of being lost, to supporting and underwriting important scholarship on organic architecture of all kinds. But it's only done with the generous support of passionate and dedicated supporters like YOU.
Please consider donating to help restore Gene's mural by clicking on THIS LINK and giving what you can. Let us know you are contributing to this specific effort and we'll be sure to include you on the list for an upcoming "thank you" gift we'll be developing specifically for generous donors.