Description:

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
(1867-1959) American architect, on of the most influential of all time, he was the creator of so-called organic architecture utilizing novel shapes and incorporating his buildings into their settings. Fine content T.L.S. on his Taliesan letterhead, 2pp. 8vo., Taliesin, Mar. 15, 1952, to the prominent Czech civil engineer Dr. J. J. Polivka disputing a payment and a presumed stepping over of boundaries. Lloyd writes, in his typically un-mincing style, in part: "...Due to Aaron Green's report of your statement to him that 'I owed you money', some clearing up of our relationship seems imperative and necessary. To my knowledge, if any money is due it is the other way around. Also, the Abey Fellowship model is a Fellowship affair paid for by us. I entrusted it to him to deliver to my office in San Francisco. How it got into your hands is a mystery to me for I never authorized any such proceeding. The model belongs to The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation as a matter of course. What work you have done upon it without my sanction is questionable. I have not approved it. Questionable also is your retention of the Morris plans which I loaned you as you wanted the privilege of making an estimate on that job with a view to taking a contract to build it. Perhaps I am wrong in attributing undue assumptions to you as I have not seen you for a long time. If so, I will write to thank you and say so. N.B. It was my understanding in the case of the Bridge that the design being wholly mine...that you would receive an engineer's fee for preparing all detailed reinforcing drawings and a superindent's fee under construction. Also you, being on the ground, were to do all in your power to promote the commission to build the bridge...". Jaroslav Joseph Polivka (1886-1960) was a civil engineer born in Prague. In 1946 Polivka began to work with Frank Lloyd Wright collaborating together on several major projects. For Wright's projects Polivka performed stress analyses and investigations of specific building materials. They worked on a total of seven projects, two of which were built: the Johnson Wax Research Tower, 1946-1951 at Racine Wisconsin and the Guggenheim Museum, 1946-1959 in New York. Their other well-known design proposal was the reinforced concrete Butterfly Bridge at the Southern Crossing of the San Francisco Bay (1949-52), mentioned herein. Clearly the relationship was not always harmonious, but Polivka continued to work with the famously narcissistic architect until his death in 1959. Signed in full, one tiny tape repair at middle fold, two staple holes at right margin, otherwise very good condition with original envelope.

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December 16, 2010 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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