spotted: Tiki at Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright

On March 17th, 2007 we were going about our business on an in-depth tour of the house named Fallingwater, built for the E.J. Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Even though it was built in the 1930s, I still think of it as mid-century modern. In one of the bedrooms, my tiki radar went off. Sidling over to the bedside table's bookshelf, something became clear (and no, not just my reflection in the water pitcher)...

Zooming in... look closely at the authors & titles:

A battered copy of Thor Heyerdahl's "KON TIKI" was amongst the books! I didn't have the heart to ask our guide if it was original to the house or not.

The house is well worth a visit if you're anywhere near Pittsburgh and have even a passing interest in architecture. This particular weekend was even worth the treacherous 4-hour (due to weather, more like 6-hour) drive from our home in the DC area. The sleet down in DC was all snow up in PA, and it was still coming down when we arrived Saturday morning for our tour:

Cheers,
Rupe

I love that house, thats what my house wants to be when it grows up. Im happy for you that you got the chance to go see it in person. Whenever I travel I always seek out the great house architecture.
If the house was built in the 30's , then the copy of Kon Tiki couldnt be original, because didnt that happen in the 50's?

It may not be original to the building of the house but the (Sr) Kaufmanns occupied the house until the 50s, (jr) Kaufmann had the house until the late 80s - and the Mrs had a solid interest in Latin American anthopology/ethnography. Could be theirs??

The Kaufmann's also commissioned a house by Richard Neutra house in Palm Springs.

Edgar Kaufmann Jr. donated the house to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963, so it's possible the book could be native to the house. It's been open to the public since then.

There are a variety of different tours you can take while there. If you're into photography, you have to do the "In-Depth" tour to be allowed to shoot inside the house, though. Definitely was worth it in our experience!

Cheers,
Rupe

Thanks for the pictures...alway slove the Wright houses. Good catch on your radar. :)

When I visited Falling water that cop of Kon Tiki was actually further out on the shelf.. I had asked the tor guide if I could take a look at it, but was told no..
Guess it was my tattos and greasy hair that made her think I would nab it or somthing.. LOL Oh for you googie pop culture lovers with kids, there is a Jellystone Park right close by Falling water.. Remeber themed campgrounds?? I cant wait to have kids so I can reexperience the joy of places like that as well.