THE JOHN W. GEIGER COLLECTION
FOR THE STUDY OF
ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE
Organizations and associations
Series 1: Taliesin Fellowship
The Taliesin Fellowship formed a creative residential community around Frank Lloyd Wright during the last three decades of his life. Known as Apprentices, individuals contributed their skills and talents to both architectural projects in the Wright studio as well as living together communally. Beyond architectural production, the members of the Taliesin Fellowship participated in projects to promulgate public awareness of the Wright design philosophy as an expression of social attitude. Many of the rare printings, mailings, and other ephemera contained in this series were produced by Fellowship participants at Taliesin or Taliesin West as explorations by Wright of presenting the message of organic design principles.
Materials related to the Taliesin Fellowship are arranged into three subseries:
Subseries 1: Publications and Printed Materials (ca. 1940s - 1999) contains a wide variety of publications, brochures, and ephemera that reflect development by Frank Lloyd Wright of philosophical ideals meant to be epitomized by the Taliesin Fellowship community. These documents include include a membership prospectus, tracts and newsletters, and the series of Taliesin T-Square Papers printed as an activity of the Fellowship. Additional Taliesin Fellowship materials from the 1980s and 1990s show efforts to maintain group relationships, such as a reunion, and an attempt to develop an honorary Wright-related society.
Subseries 2: Correspondence (1941-1956) contains documents related to John Geiger as a member of the Taliesin Fellowship, including his application for membership and later letters to him from Frank Lloyd Wright.
Subseries 3: Photographs (circa 1940s) contains images of John Geiger during his time at Taliesin taken by photographer Pedro Guerrero.
Subseries 1: PUBLICATIONS AND PRINTED MATERIALS
Folder: "The Taliesin Fellowship"
Original 1940s era prospectus for joining the Fellowship. [Box 7]
Folder: "Taliesin Tract" Number One
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: "The Taliesin Fellowship, The New Frontier, Broadacre City" (undated [circa 1940])
Publication (unspecified number, but serves as vol. 1, #1). [Box 7]
Folder: "The Taliesin Fellowship" (February, 1941)
Publication, Frank Lloyd Wright, editor (vol. 1, #2). [Box 7]
Folder: "Taliesin" - A Fellowship Magazine (undated [circa 1940s])
Publication: Frank Lloyd Wright, editor (vol. 1, #1). [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#1): "A Nonpolitical Voice from Our Democratic Minority"
Publication, featuring an exchange between Frank Lloyd Wright and editor Evjue. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#2): "Of What Use Is A Great Navy With No Place To Hide?"
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#4) : Defense
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#5): "To Beat The Enemy" (July, 1941)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#7): "To The Mole" (1944)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (unnumbered): "Nature" (August, 1945)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#10): "Building a Democracy (1946)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#11): "Mimic No More" (1947)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#12): "Harum-Scarum" (undated)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#13): Unititled (March 17, 1949)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (#14): "We Want The Truth" (November 2, 1949)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin T-Square Paper (unnumbered): "On An Architecture For Democracy" (January, 1951)
Publication. [Box 7]
Folder: "The American Quality" (October, 1941)
Publication, excerpt from Scribner's Commentator; includes photographs. [Box 7]
Folder: "The Architect" (1947)
Publication by Frank Lloyd Wright. [Box 7]
Publication: "The Sovereignty of the Individual, In The Cause of Architecture"
Preface to Ausgefuhrte Bauten Und Entwurfe (1910), reprinted as standalone introduction to Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, Italy (1951). [Box 39]
Folder: Stationery Samples (circa 1940s)
Letterhead and envelopes for Taliesin and Taliesin West. [Box 7]
Folder: American Institute of Architects Gold Medal Award (May 27, 1953)
Catalogs from an exhibition related to the award of the AIA Gold Medal to Frank Lloyd Wright. [Box 7]
Folder: Christmas Cards (1985-1991)
Taliesin Fellowship seasonal greetings with special graphic designs. [Box 7]
Folder: "A Day at Taliesin" (1987)
Brochure for an event. [Box 7]
Folder: Taliesin Fellowship Reunion Materials (1992)
Registration and information package; photocopied images of various Taliesin Fellows in attendance. [Box 7]
Folder: "Taliesin Fellowship News"
Publication, Spring, 1988 (vol. 1 #1); Fall, 1988 (vol. 1 #2); Spring, 1989 (vol. 2, #1). [Box 7]
Folder: "The Frank Lloyd Wright Society" (1993)
Prospectus for organization. [Box 7]
Folder: The Future of Architecture
Brochure that presents a summary of the book and a sales order form. [Box 7]
Folder: The Whirling Arrow (August, 1999)
Newsletter for the Taliesin Fellowship prepared by Dr. Joseph Rourke. [Box 7]
Folder: Correspondence (1941-1956)
Numerous attestations to the Iowa County [Wisconsin] Board by Taliesin Fellowship members about the value of their time with Frank Lloyd Wright, supporting recognition by county authorities of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Letters from Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship [Eugene Masselink] concerning application to the Fellowship by John Geiger, and letter of reference on behalf of John Geiger to State of California licensing board signed by Frank Lloyd Wright; and other miscellaneous other short letters from Wright. [Box 7]
Folder: Photographs by Pedro Guerrero (circa 1940s)
Images of John Geiger at Taliesin photographed by Pedro Guerrerro; includes one with Frank Lloyd Wright. [Box 7]