Additional Light Court Worktables
In the previous post I detailed the large atrium desk with Nernst glowers on each end. This post focuses on the medium desk in between each of those. These desk arrangements can be found in the original atrium furniture configuration and utilize the three-legged “suicide chair”. All of the furniture in the building was designed by wright and built by the Van Dorn Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio. [i]
Both the large and medium desks were made from folded metal and magnesite panels which created an exceptionally heavy piece of furniture. The weight mirrored the surrounding architectural mass, but considering the well known fact that Wright did not approve of any furniture re-arrangements, or changes in any of his designs, we can assume the weight was also intended to deter movement.
Administrative Work Table
Historic Context
The original desk can be seen here in a black and white photo. The desk to the left is the large version with the Nernst Glowers.
[i] Jack Quinan, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Larkin Building-Myth and Fact, The Architectural History Foundation (New York, New York 1987) p.62
Irma Strauss told me that the Van Dorn steel Conference table in Larkin’s Directors Room was the most beautiful Wright designed piece of furniture in the whole building. Other than the photo 49 in Quinan’s book is there any period photo clearly showing this large round steel table? I own the 1904 round oak table that John Larkin Sr. commission Rohlfs to make but was rejected by Wright. I would like to compare the two.