Extremely rare first edition, of the complete collection of plates prepared from drawings made by master architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) at his Oak Park Studio, illustrating seventy buildings and projects completed between 1893 and 1909. It is the first major publication by one of the greatest innovators of modern architecture. The work boosted Wright's fame in European architectural circles and influenced key figures in contemporary architecture including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Peter Behrens and Le Corbusier. The plates show perspective views, plans, sections and interior and exterior details. Plate LVI, with an interior view of the living room of the Coonley House, is one of the most important and desirable of the series. Other works represented are the Frederic Robie House, Susan Lawrence Dana House, Ward Willets House, Darwin Martin House, Avery Coonley House, the Larkin Building, and Unity Temple, showing the variety of his buildings.
Although each plate is embossed with Wright's blind stamp, Sweeney notes that Wright completed the work alongside assistants and collaborators, including Marion Mahony Griffin and Wright's son, Lloyd. The work was printed by Ernest Wasmuth, a massive undertaking. The original plans and presentation drawings had to be lithographed on large stones. The text volume, written by Wright, was printed both in German and in English, containing an essay on his architectural style and a list of the plates. The text part starts with the introduction by Wright, translated into German by Wasmuth, and is dated ''Florenz, Italien, 15. Mai 1910'' and is followed by an annotated list of plates (pp. 21-30). An English version of the introduction was printed in Chicago by Ralph Fletcher Seymour being dated "Florence, Italy, June 1910".
The edition is scarce due to a fire at Wrights home and studio, Taliesin, in August 1914. The fire destroyed the bulk of the American copies of this portfolio, in addition to much of Wrights other work. So many of the copies intended for the American market were destroyed, with the result that the work was far better known in Europe than in the United States.
The wrappers and ties of the two portfolios are browned, both spines are worn (with the portfolios otherwise still intact) and the front board of portfolio II shows a seriously water damaged spot. All text leaves, plates and plates on overlay paper are foxed, the edges of the plates and overlays are show very slight water stains and are occasionally slightly frayed and browned, the overlays of plates LVIII and IL show a marginal tear, not affecting the image. The main surface of the plates (including the whole or the majority of the designs) are fine and clean. Overall a complete set with the plates, booklet and the two original publisher's portfolios still in good condition, being Wright's extremely rare magnum opus that secured his status in Europe: one of the most influential architectural publications of the century. Kruft 210; Robert L. Sweeney, Frank Lloyd Wright: an annotated bibliography, 1978, 87; Thieme-Becker XXXVI, 279.