A rare Frank Lloyd Wright lamp, the Double-Pedestal lamp, sold at Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on May 13 for $7.5 million, far exceeding its $3–5 million estimate after an 11-minute bidding war. Designed in 1902 for the Susan Lawrence Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, the lamp is one of only two surviving examples; the other remains in the house’s collection. The sale set a new auction record for a Wright work, surpassing the previous high of $2.9 million for a 1902 ceiling light sold in 2023.
The record-breaking sale underscores the enduring market demand for Frank Lloyd Wright’s design objects, particularly those tied to his iconic Prairie Style and the Dana House’s unique Japanese-influenced aesthetic. The lamp’s significance as a rare, site-specific piece—and the last example in private hands—made it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors and institutions. The result also highlights the strength of the 20th-century design market at auction, with Sotheby’s planning a further sale of Wright objects from a private collection in June.