[ARCHITECTURE] The International Competition for a New Administration Building for the Chicago Tribune (cover title: Tribune Tower Competition)

(The Tribune Company)

Published by The Tribune Company, [Chicago], 1923

About this Item

Large quarto, 103pp., followed by 281 full-leaf plates. A crisp, clean, lovely copy, about fine, with the rear inner hinge just starting and two tiny and inexplicable tape mends to a rear blank. Touch of foxing to the edges. In the publisher s notoriously fragile burlap binding, with absolutely no repairs. In the rare dust jacket, about fine, with a few mild scrunches to the crown, but no notable tears or chips. In what appears to be the publisher s original box, with hand-written title. Box with a number of partial cracks and some tape mends, but still rather sound, and complete. A very important volume of architectural history, as this 1922 competition drew contestants from some of the most innovative firms in the field, all of whom were working just after the widespread use of steel frame technology, which allowed for the safe construction of buildings more than a few storeys tall. Among the entrants were Eliel Saarinen (whose design was perceived by many to be the best), Walter Gropius, Adolf Loos, Bertram Goodhue, and many others. The winning entry, conceived by Howells and Hood, still stands today; an imposing neo-Gothic skyscraper at 435 N. Michigan Avenue. When the book is found in commerce, it is almost always rebacked, as the fragile burlap binding was absolutely no match for the heft of the coated paper used for the nearly 300 plates. Similarly, burlap bindings have a tendency to destroy dust jackets, which is why we ve only even encountered one other copy in a jacket. As this copy was hardly ever taken out of its box, it has been spared the seemingly inevitable fate of its brethren. An important volume of modern Architectural history, genuinely rare in this condition. Seller Inventory # 11036

Bibliographic Details

Title: [ARCHITECTURE] The International Competition...

Publisher: The Tribune Company, [Chicago]

Publication Date: 1923

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: fine

Edition: First Edition.