Frank Lloyd Wright

Pebbles & Balch Store Remodeling, Oak Park (1907 - S.131)


	Date: 1898 Title: Halley’s Pictorial Oak Park (Digital Edition) (Published by William Halley, Oak Park, IL) Author: Halley, William Description: The history of Oak Park, Illinois up through 1898. Includes information and a biography of Alonzo W. Pebbles, one of the original founders of Pebbles & Balch. Also indicates that Anna L. Wright and Catherine L Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright’s mother and wife) were on the board of the Nineteenth Century Club (P 84). This copy originally belonged to Thomas H. Gale, "Real Estate and Loans". Gale was a client of Wright's in 1892 and 1897. This copy courtesy of the University of Illinois Library, at Urbana-Champaign. See our Wright Study on the Pebbles & Balch Remodel. Size: 5.25 x 3.5 (Digital Edition.) Pages: Pp 128 S#: 0032.05.1111

	Date: 1910 Title: Catalogue of the Ninth Annual Exhibition of Original Designs for Decorations and Examples of Art Crafts having Distinct Artistic Merit (Published by the Art Institute of Chicago) Author: Art Institute of Chicago Description: December 6 To December 23, 1910. In 1907 Frank Lloyd Wright designed the shop for Pebbles & Balch, Oak park (1907 - S.131). Mrs. Grace M. Pebbles exhibited five items at the show. This gives us a glimpse into the types of merchandised, other than wallpaper, that was available at Pebbles & Balch. Item 908:Screen, pine tree design, mahogany mount. 909: Curtain, Silk, horsechestnut design. 910: Flower holder, brass, narcissus design. 911: Necklace, silver gilt and coral. 912: Box, brass. See our Wright Study on the Pebbles & Balch Remodel. Size: 4.7 x 7.5. (Digital Edition) Pages: Pp 94 S#: 0094.20.1111

	Date: 1907 Title: Pebbles and Balch Store Remodeling (1907 - S.131). Description: This exterior photograph was taken just after completion of the remodel and was acquired by Grant Manson. The exterior was first published in "In The Nature of Materials: 1887 - 1941", Hitchcock, 1942. Hitchcock indicated "Photo courtesy of Grant C Manson". Manson could not have taken them in 1907-08, he would have been only three to four years old at the time. He published this photograph in "Frank Lloyd Wright to 1910", 1958. In Manson's Illustration Credits, he indicates that "Another source of illustrations of erected buildings of the Oak Park Period are the remaining photographs of the set made around 1910 by Henry Fuermann of Chicago...", but is not specific as to the origin of the image. The clerestory windows with wood muntins (thin bands of wood), are similar to the earlier Peter Beachy Residence Remodel (S.117) and the Frederick D. Nichols Residence (S.118), both in 1906. Wright designed the large show window as an enclosed display area, blocking exterior activity, giving privacy to clients shopping inside. Wright compensated for the blocked daylight by an unobstructed band of clerestory windows. Of interest are the two exterior light fixtures. They are very similar to the fixtures of the Waller Gate (1901 - S.065) and the Frank L. Smith Bank (1905 - S.111). Restored and enhanced by Douglas M. Steiner. For more information see our Wright Study on Pebbles and Balch Remodel. Size: 10 x 6 B&W photograph. S#: 0080.11.1011


	Date: 1907 Title: Pebbles and Balch Store Remodeling (1907 - S.131). Description: This interior photograph was taken just after completion of the remodel and was acquired by Grant Manson. The interior photograph was first published in "Frank Lloyd Wright to 1910", 1958. In Manson's Illustration Credits, he indicates that "Another source of illustrations of erected buildings of the Oak Park Period are the remaining photographs of the set made around 1910 by Henry Fuermann of Chicago...", but is not specific as to the origin of the image. Wright designed the large show window as an enclosed display area, blocking exterior activity, giving privacy to clients shopping inside. Wright compensated for the blocked daylight by an unobstructed band of clerestory windows. The interior reflected Wright’s prairie style. Bands of horizontal trim, natural wood and warm earth tones and stained glass lighting fixtures. The interior glass fixture seems to be a scaled down, less complex fixture than the Browne’s Bookstore (S.141) fixture. All the wood cabinetry was designed by Wright. There were wood framed cabinets with glass doors for displaying decorative objects to entice any homeowner in Oak Park. Being a "paper-hanger’s" shop, Wright also designed some of the cabinetry to hold and display rolls of wallpaper. Restored and enhanced by Douglas M. Steiner. For more information see our Wright Study on Pebbles and Balch Remodel. Size: 8 x 6.5 B&W photograph. S#: 0080.12.1011