11 Jan photographic study of adler and sullivan’s james charnley house from past to present

designed by louis h sullivan and/or his junior draftsman, frank lloyd wright, the house was completed in 1892. the rich ornamentation provides abundant fodder for research on the charnley-persky house, sullivan’s work, and groundbreaking work completed during this time. the ornament throughout the interior and exterior of the building reflects both sullivan’s love of sinuous plant forms intertwined with underlying geometric forms and wright’s variations of these themes.

PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN’S 1891 JAMES CHARNLEY HOUSE REVISITED

A PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN’S JAMES CHARNLEY HOUSE INTERIOR ORNAMENT

john vinci kodachrome slides of adler and sullivan’s james charnley residence (1892) during restoration in 1980. the heavily weathered and worn projecting fret-sawn pine wood loggia was removed, documented, and completely rebuilt by vinci’s firm. 

images courtesy of john vinci.

detail of hand-carved dark mahogany wood fireplace mantel frieze located in dining room of james charnley house (1892). the adler and sullivan residence is one of the few surviving homes designed by sullivan/wright. the house is operated as a museum and organization headquarters by the society of architectural historians (sah).

courtesy of eric j. nordstrom 

adler and sullivan’s james charnley residence (1892) over the years. images of the projecting fret-sawn pine wood loggia being extracted, documented, and completely rebuilt during restoration of the house were taken by project architect john vinci in 1980. a young tim samuelson is on the scaffolding working carefully to remove badly damaged panels that would later be replaced. 

photographs, heliochrome, and fragment, courtesy of the richard nickel archive, ryerson and burnham library, art institute of chicago, john vinci, and bldg. 51 collection.

james charnley house (1892) entrance door ornamental wrought iron grille. adler and sullivan, architects. the delicate ironwork was executed by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, ills.

john vinci kodachrome slides of adler & sullivan’s james charnley house (1892) taken during its restoration in 1980. the fret-sawn pine wood loggia was replaced and the stamped copper cornice was removed, repaired, and reinstalled. more images to follow.