Frank Lloyd Wright Hand-Signed First Edition "An Autobiography"
A true cornerstone piece for any serious collection of American design history: a first edition copy of An Autobiography, Frank Lloyd Wright's own account of his life, philosophy, and career, hand-signed by the architect himself. Published in 1932 by Longmans, Green and Co., this is widely regarded as Wright's most widely read book and a landmark of his personal design sensibility — he oversaw the book's typography and cover design personally, right down to the gilt-and-red stamped pattern on the black cloth boards.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) is considered the greatest American architect of the 20th century, the mind behind Fallingwater, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Prairie School movement that redefined American residential design. Wright passed away on April 9, 1959, making surviving examples of his signature an increasingly scarce commodity — every signed piece represents a direct, physical link to a figure who fundamentally changed how the world builds.
A Book Designed by Its Own Author
Beyond the text, Wright personally directed the book's typography and cover art, making this first edition itself a piece of Wright design work — not merely a container for his words. The 371 pages of narrative are followed by a section of black-and-white photographic plates documenting his life and buildings.
This copy is in very good condition, presenting well for a book now approaching a century old, with a hand signature from Wright himself elevating it from a well-loved first edition to a genuine collector's artifact.
| Title | An Autobiography |
| Author | Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) |
| Signature | Hand-signed by Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Edition | First edition, 1932 |
| Publisher | Longmans, Green and Co. (New York / London / Toronto) |
| Binding | Black cloth, gilt and red stamped cover design by Wright |
| Contents | 371 pages of text plus black-and-white photographic plates |
| Authentication | Grad Collection |
| Condition | Very good |