Frank Lloyd Wright Drawing of the Benjamin Adelman House, ca. 1955
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GUEST:
My father was an architect, and he was asked to remodel or re-engineer a house that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. My father wasn't involved with the initial structure or design. I think it was built in 1951. A few years later, there seemed to be some problem with the house. As you can see in the photographs, I think it almost was falling down. And so it had to be either remodeled or rebuilt, I'm not sure.
APPRAISER:
And this was here in Arizona.
GUEST:
This was here in Arizona. In the Biltmore area. And when they completed the house, Mr. Wright gave my father this drawing of the house as a gift.
APPRAISER:
It's an original drawing by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's signed with his cartouche down in the lower right-hand corner. This is not a sketch or a hastily rendered drawing; this is a completed piece of artwork and is really quite lovely. We've picked out several photographs here that show various problems with the structure itself. There's cracks in it; there's construction work going on. In this photograph there's an entire wall separating and moving away from the home. This is more of an overview of the home. And then, further on the left here, is additional showing damage to the home.
APPRAISER:
So, your father worked on the reconstruction of the home, the rebuilding of it, because it still stands to this day here in Arizona. And the name of the home is...?
GUEST:
It's the Benjamin Adelman House.
APPRAISER:
And it's restored and someone's living in it today.
GUEST:
As far as I know, yes.
APPRAISER:
This shows a different side of some of Frank Lloyd Wright's genius and vision in that sometimes the homes that he built didn't work out very well for the owners. It's absolutely extraordinary. It's beautiful. And, at retail, it would bring $25,000 to $30,000.
GUEST:
Wow. Well, I know my dad would be very pleased.
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