Lot 1359
Wright, Frank Lloyd (1867-1959) American architect; leading designer of modern private dwellings; his larger works include the Guggenheim Museum of Art in New York City and the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Autograph Letter Signed ("Frank"), postmarked Chicago, July 11, 1925, 1 p. octavo. Addressed to Miriam Lloyd Wright, his second wife, from whom he had been separated for over a year, trying to arrange a divorce. In part: "I could hope that a spirit of live and let live 'might' arrange a settlement between us without more dirty linen or emotional fizzles. / If you will see me with Judge Hill to talk matters over calmly - I will do all I can to meet your needs at present and establish you comfortably, so far as I can, in future. / You must see that this is the only course open to either of us. A note to Taliesen will reach me Monday afternoon." With transmission envelope addressed by Wright.
On August 14, 1914, a recently-hired chef set Wright's house (Taliesen) on fire and murdered Margaret (Mamah) Cheney, who had lived with Wright since 1909 (although he was still married to his first wife, Catherine), as well as her two children and two others. Miriam Noel offered Wright sympathy and he soon asked her to move into Taliesen with him. Catherine finally agreed to a divorce in 1922 and Wright married Miriam in November 1923. By April of 1924, she had left him. Despite numerous attempts by the couple's attorneys to finalize a divorce, they would not come to a settlement until August 1927. By that time, Wright had been living with Olga Milanoff Hinzenberg for over two years. At the time Wright wrote this letter to Miriam, Olga was pregnant with their daughter Iovanna.
Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500.
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