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important arthur heurtley house leaded art glass window becomes latest addition to the bldg. 51 museum

my participation in yesterday's auction proved to be successful when i managed to secure a historically important, frank lloyd wright leaded art glass window designed for the arthur heurtley house (1902). remarkably the strongly geometric art glass window was free from damage and unlike most of my other frank lloyd wright windows, the original wood sash frame was intact and structurally sound.

with the recent purchase of the darwin martin house bronze sconces earlier this year, the heurtley window  is now the most recent and substantial acquisition for the rapidly expanding bldg. 51 museum. the elegant and minimalistic art glass window will compliment the existing collection of frank lloyd wright-designed windows already housed in the museum archive.

located in oak park (a chicago suburb), the c. 1902 frank lloyd wright-designed arthur b. heurtley house is widely considered one of the earliest examples of a frank lloyd wright house in full prairie style.  the design patterns and/or configurations he established within the heurtley house would eventually appear in many of his greatest works within the prairie style, including the emphasis on the exterior horizontal, with strong detail in the wooden siding and high bands of windows, low-pitched roofs, broad eaves, and terraces and balconies to bring the outside living easily to the occupants within.

the interior of the heurtley house contains a grade level front door leading to a deeply colored low ceilinged entry hall. the major spaces are raised above the surrounding grounds, and as one climbs the stairs from the ground level, one is thrust into areas featuring soaring ceilings with trim echoing the exterior roof forms. this transition was used to emphasize one's leaving of the outside world as they ascended the stairs. the fireplaces, which symbolized the hearth and home are centralized in the middle of the structure.

the home's interior is unique in that its floor plan is reversed from the traditional layout of a two story american home that was contemporary to the era in which the heurtly house was built. the traditional house contained public rooms located on the first floor level, and private spaces on the second floor level. the public living and dining were located on the top floor of the house.

during the heurtleys occupancy, the residence underwent major changes, including the additions of screens to the windows on the elevated porch as well as a breakfast room on the main floor. in addition, the "wood room," as it was known on wright's original drawing, was converted into a pantry or food storage area. it is thought that the breakfast room addition and wood room conversion were done through frank lloyd wright's office but the dates remain unconfirmed.

in 1920 the house was purchased by frank lloyd wright's sister, jane porter, and her husband, andrew. they converted the home into a duplex in the 1930's and each floor was separated into apartments. the porters stayed in the heurtley house for 26 years. after the porters left the house, two other owners altered the home further. the kitchens and bathrooms were modernized, the front loggia enclosed and a black iron gate was added to the home's entryway. a master bathroom was added in the last fifteen feet of the main floor veranda and the living room inglenook and dining room breakfront were removed. a second chimney and a furnace were also added. between 1997 and 2002, the owners of the house spent 1.2 million dollars on a complete restoration of the building.

i photograhed the heurtley house (from afar) a year ago when my significant other and i visited the frank lloyd home and studio. thankfully, the majority of the house's art glass windows remain safely "in situ" and appear to be rather well-maintained. the images below provide the reader with additional visual insight into house's window placement.



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