Louis H. Sullivan (American, 1856-1924) One Door Knob and Lock from the Wainwright Building, circa 1891, Adler & Sullivan Cast iron 11 x 5 x 8 inches (27.9 x 12.7 x 20.3 cm) PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT AMERICAN COLLECTION Louis Sullivan holds a unique position in the history American architecture, not only for his accomplishments as a builder, but also for casting a long shadow of influence over many of the leading proponents of modernism, many through the figure of Frank Lloyd Wright whom he mentored early in his career. Among his major accomplishments were several buildings, most notably, the Chicago Stock Exchange, built in 1893 at a time when Chicago hosted the World's Fair and became known on a more international scale. Sullivan guided the overall design of the project, working with his business partner Dankmer Adler, and they created a masterpiece of intricate detail from the floor to the ceiling, following Sullivan's concept of organic ornamentation. The trading room of the Stock Exchange was a particularly significant space, and Sullivan conceived of oil painted stencils to line the walls in order to give depth of color and space through use of complex Celtic revival patterns. The building was demolished in the 1970s and many of the works were salvaged and are today represented in important public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Art Institute, Chicago and the Seattle Art Museum among others. The largest of the stencils in this sale was formerly in the collection of the Art Institute. Other works from the collection include works from other remarkable Sullivan and Adler buildings, though the focal point, are rare works from the Chicago Stock Exchange, their most important achievement. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved