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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Collection Summary

Biographical Sketch of William A. Storrer

Scope and Content of the collection

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

References to works by or about William Allin Storrer

Description of Series

Series A: Publications, 1977-2001, not dated

Series B: Research Materials

University of Texas, Alexander Architectural Archive

William A. Storrer papers,

1949-2002



Collection Summary

Creator:Storrer, William Allin, 1936-
Title:William A. Storrer papers,
Dates:1949-2002
Abstract:William Storrer (1936- ) is an educator and a noted scholar of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Storrer papers include manuscript, research and reference materials. The collection consists of photographic prints, slides, drawings, papers, books and periodicals primarily relating to all editions of his definitive publications: The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog; The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures; The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion; and FLlW Update.
Identification:2004014
Quantity:Approximately 16 linear feet
Language:Material is in English, Chinese, Italian, and Japanese.
Repository:Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Biographical Sketch of William A. Storrer

William Allin Storrer was born on March 22, 1936 in Highland Park, Michigan. He graduated from Harvard College with an undergraduate degree in Engineering Sciences (1959), received his master's degree in Theater Arts from Boston University (1962) and his doctorate in Comparative Arts from Ohio University, Athens (1968). He was certified in Video Production (1977) and Travel Agency Management (1984) and recieved a teaching certificate as a Media Specialist from Montclair State University, New Jersey (1992).

Early in his career, Storrer worked in the engineering field. After finishing his graduate degree in theater arts, Storrer began his teaching career and taught in high schools, colleges and universities in New Jersey, South Carolina, New York and Ohio. Concurrently, he continued to pursue his interest in the arts through various positions in non-academic fields (i.e., Manager of the Harvard Opera Guild and President of the Guild of Photographic Artists). He has traveled extensively, researched his family's genealogy, written original plays, composed musicals, produced films, given seminars and exhibited his photographic works.

Storrer is a noted scholar of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Storrer published the first comprehensive catalog of Wright's built work, The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Comprehensive Catalog (1973); as well as The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion (1993). He is also responsible for developing a definitive numbering system (The Storrer Catalog Numbering System) of Wright's built works. He created The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures (1980) to provide maps and directions to Wright's built works. He also wrote, edited and published a monthly newsletter FLlW Update (1988-1998) which he has continued to publish as an online newsletter. Beyond Frank Lloyd Wright, he has written over 400 articles for newspapers and magazines about the arts, technology and travel in the United States, England and New Zealand. In 2004 Storrer was appointed Adjunct Professor of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin to provide continued opportunities to advance Frank Lloyd Wright scholarship.

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Scope and Content of the collection

Printed material, correspondence, creative works, both writing and photographic material, reference material and maps created and collected by William A. Storrer, document his scholarship on Frank Lloyd Wight. The collection is divided into two series: Publications and Research Materials.

In the first series, drafts, proofs, editors' notes, correspondence and contracts document the administration and process of publication of Storrer's four major works of Frank Lloyd Wright scholarship: The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures; The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog; The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion; and FLlW Update. Page proofs of The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion comprise the bulk of this series and include the original English edition as well as Italian (1996), Chinese (1997) and Japanese (2000) translations.

The second series records Storrer's research process. The Built Works subseries is organized into files following a numbering system created by Storrer to identify Frank Lloyd Wright's built works. These files include floorplans, correspondence, clippings, photographic material and notes related to each individual structure. The remainder of the series is comprised of materials without Storrer assigned numbers. Most notable in his correspondence is communication with MIT Press and University of Chicago Press regarding publication rights. The Reference Materials subseries contains items that focus exclusively on Frank Lloyd Wright and items that briefly mention the architect. Storrer's interest in the following Frank Lloyd Wright organizations is documented in the Foundation subseries: the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation, Taliesen Architecture, Taliesen West and the Taliesen Preservation Commission.

The Storrer Numbering System: an explanation of its significance

Most items in the Storrer collection in the Alexander Architectural Archive are cataloged by the published Storrer Catalog numbering system of the built work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Accordingly, when one wishes to access an item, it should be referred to by this catalog number which may be found in either The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog (3rd or later edition) or The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion.

The creation of the catalog of Wright's built work came about when Professor Storrer noted in 1968 that there was no accurate published listing of Wright's built work. Working with Taliesen archivist Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Storrer created as accurate a listing as could be produced with information in the files of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Between the fall of 1958 and the summer of 1971, he visited all known sites and photographed the extant work. He further collected photographs of demolished structures and, in 1974, his findings were published as The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog.

Continuing his research, twenty years later The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion was published with the catalog numbering refined to be commensurate with electronic searching. The Companion contained plans of all built structures for which a plan could be produced as well as many interior photographs of both extant and destroyed structures.

The Storrer Catalog identifies built work only. The Storrer Catalog number, S.###, identifies each built work as constructed, which may differ significantly with Wright's original design. This, therefore, provides the researcher with a means of distinguishing specifically an existing Wright structure from its original plan. Taliesen apprentices who supervised construction often made on-site changes, such that the plan is not an accurate representation of what was built.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation employs an accession numbering system to identify original documents including plans of Wright's built and unbuilt structures. This T.#### system was created by Professor Anthony Alofsin with Taliesen archivist Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer and is referenced in the Companion. It is suggested that, when referring to an unbuilt work or the original design (rather than the finished work as constructed), this number may be used for identification and differentiation of plan and built work, while the Storrer Catalog system be used when discussing built work.

The University of Texas and its faculty of the School of Architecture have been designated by Professor Storrer as the only institution which may in any way alter or upgrade the Storrer Catalog numbering system and or The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog or The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion.

It is expected that users of these materials will identify built work of Frank Lloyd Wright in their writings and other presentations not only by the name of the work but also with the Storrer Catalog number.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access is by appointment only to any serious scholar. Rolled materials must be flattened before viewing. A three-day advance notice is required to flatten rolled materials. Portions of this collection are not processed and may not be accessible.

Restrictions on Use

The donor requests that users of the William A. Storrer papers read an explanation of the Storrer Catalog Numbering System (see Scope and Content) and sign a registry signifying that they received this information. Material created by Storrer may be quoted or reproduced for educational purposes without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given by citing the Storrer Catalog Number when referencing Frank Lloyd Wright works. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder which must be obtained by the researcher. William A. Storrer holds copyright on all his published work. For more information and restrictions on use please see the Alexander Architectural Archive's Use Policy.

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Index Terms

Subjects (Persons):
Storrer, William Allin, 1936-
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959
Subjects (Organizations):
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Taliesen East (Spring Green, Wis.)
Taliesen West (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Subjects:
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959--Catalogs
Architecture--Designs and plans--United States
Architects--United States
Usonian houses--United States
Places:
Chicago (Ill.)
Oak Park (Ill.)
Scottsdale (Ariz.)
Spring Green (Wis.)
Document Types:
Manuscripts and technical drawings
Drafts
Galley Proofs
Photographs

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Related Material

Selections from William Storrer's library are cataloged and located in the Architecture and Planning Library, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

William Allin Storrer papers, Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin

Processing Information

Materials processed by: Roseangela Briscese, Kathryn Pierce, Louise LaLonde and Kayoko Shimanuki for INF389F, December 2005.

Processing is not completed. Please see archival staff for more information.

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References to works by or about William Allin Storrer

Storrer, William Allin. The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog. 3rd ed. Chicago, 2002.

Storrer, William Allin. The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures. Newark, NJ, 1997.

Storrer, William Allin. The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright in Wisconsin. Madison, Wis., 1988.

Storrer, William Allin. The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion. Chicago, 2006.

Storrer, William Allin. The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion. West Chicago, 1995.

Storrer, William Allin. The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion. Chicago, 1993. (CD Rom)

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

 

Series A: Publications, 1977-2001, not dated

Series Abstract
The Publications series contains material reflecting the administration and process of the publication of William A. Storrer's work on American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Four subseries represent each of these works: The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog; The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion; The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures; and FLlW Update. Manuscripts, proofs, corrections, editors' notes, contracts and correspondence illuminate Storrer's professional life as it relates to his published work.
Series A1: Catalog (1977-2001)
Manuscripts, proofs, contracts and correspondence related to the various editions (1973, 1974, 1978, 1988, 2001, 2002) of the publication of The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Complete Catalog, including original submissions, editors' corrections and final revisions. Correspondence, primarily between Storrer and the University of Chicago Press staff, demonstrates Storrer's interest in a color version of the Catalog several years before its publication. Information regarding a fourth edition (no date) includes corrections. Considered the first comprehensive catalog of the built works of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Series A2: Companion (1989-1997)
Manuscripts, proofs, contracts and correspondence regarding the production of The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion, published in 1993. Includes foreign language versions and proofs, Italian (1996), Chinese (1997) and Japanese (2000). This work includes building plans for the first time in Storrer's work.
Series A3: Guide to Extant Structures (1973-1997)
Printed copies, guide masters, corrections and editors' notes on The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A Guide to Extant Structures, 4th edition (1976) to 17th edition (1997). The third edition, The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: Locations of Extant Work (1973) represents name change of publication.
Series A4: FLlW Update (1988-1997)
Copies of published newsletter FLlW Update (Summer 1988-September 1997), Volume 0-72, written, edited and published by Storrer. Also contains the first web edition; the second supplement to printed editions (May 1998). Storrer continues the newsletter in an online format.

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Series B: Research Materials

Series Abstract
The Research Materials series consists of six subseries: Built Works, Correspondence, Printed Materials, Creative Materials, Foundations and Maps. Each of these are made up of documents collected by William Storrer over the course of his career as a scholar on Frank Lloyd Wright.
Series B1: Built Works (1969-1994)
Includes floorplans, correspondence, clippings, photographic material, printed material and notes pertaining to specific structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in his lifetime. Storrer created a numbering system for these structures, and much of the material in this subseries is organized into numerically ordered files according to the Storrer Cataloging Numbering System (see Scope and Content).
Series B2: Correspondence (1988-2001)
Contains both loose correspondence and correspondence arranged into labeled binders by Storrer. It includes letters and their enclosures, if any, as well as emails and faxes.
Series B3: Printed Material (1993-1995, no date)
Consists of clippings, catalogs, pamphlets, newsletters and books on Frank Lloyd Wright collected by Storrer for his research.
Series B4: Creative Works
Includes Storrer's non-published material in the form of handwritten and typed notes pertaining to Storrer's research.
Series B5: Foundations (1988-2001)
Includes correspondence, reports and newsletters from the following organizations: the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation (Oak Park, Ill.), Taliesen Architecture (Spring Green, Wis.), Taliesen West (Scottsdale, Ariz.), the Taliesen Preservation Commission (Spring Green, Wis.), and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (Scottsdale, Ariz.).
Series B6: Maps
Contains street maps and tourist maps related to Storrer's travel and research. It does not contain maps created by Storrer.

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