Frank Lloyd Wright Lamp Sells For Record $7.5 Million!

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Frank Lloyd Wright's Double-Pedestal Lamp sold for a record amount (Credit: Sotheby's/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

A stunning lamp designed by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright has set a new record. It sold for an impressive $7.5 million in just seven minutes at a Sotheby's auction in New York City on May 13, 2025. This is now the most expensive Wright object ever sold at auction. The previous record was held by a ceiling light from 1902, which fetched $2.9 million in 2023.

The Double-Pedestal Lamp is one of Wright’s most iconic lighting designs. It features two bronze pedestals supporting a stained glass shade with a geometric pattern. The glass panes change color depending on the lighting. More than just a light source, it was created as a piece of art, meant to complement the room’s architecture and furnishings. According to Sotheby’s, the lamp last appeared at auction in 2002, when it sold for $2 million.

Wright originally created the lamp for Susan Lawrence Dana’s home in Springfield, Illinois. The wealthy socialite hired him in 1902 to redesign her family’s 1868 mansion. Dana gave Wright an unlimited budget. This allowed him to design not only the structure but also the interiors, including custom furniture, windows, and lighting. Now a museum, the Dana-Thomas House holds the largest collection of Wright’s work made for a single home.

Following the record-setting lamp sale, more Wright pieces are heading to auction. On June 11, 2025, Sotheby’s will offer several works from a private collection. They include a print table from Wright’s home in Oak Park, Illinois, and a pair of armchairs he designed between 1903 and 1905.

Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, Sotheby's.com, Artnet.com

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