Going All Out for Modern

Working with Illinois partners, the National Trust acquires the Farnsworth House at auction.

By Rachel Adams

The interior of the 1951 Farnsworth House (Friends of the Farnsworth House)

On Dec. 12, 2003, the National Trust added a 24th structure to its roster of historic sites: a pared-down glass-and-steel masterpiece by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, built in 1951 as a weekend retreat for Chicago doctor Edith Farnsworth. The $7.5 million auction sale of the Farnsworth House, situated on 58 acres of riverside land 60 miles southwest of Chicago, attested to the growing recognition of the historic value of 20th-century modernist architecture.

"This allows the spotlight to be shone on the architecture of the recent past," says Trust President Richard Moe. "It was a seminal moment in preservation."

A moment that, while exhilarating, did not come about easily. In early 2001, the Farnsworth's previous owner, British real estate magnate Lord Peter Palumbo—who had seen the house through a 1996 flood and subsequent renovation—decided to sell the property, citing his failing health. Enter John Bryan, then-chairman of the Sara Lee Corp., former head of the National Trust Council, and lifelong architecture buff. "When I learned of the sale, I thought that the best strategy would be to get the state involved," says Bryan. "It felt like the perfect fit."

Concerned that a private buyer might alter—even move—the house, Bryan, backed by fellow preservationists and Chicago civic leaders, successfully petitioned the state of Illinois to purchase the Farnsworth. In April 2001, he established the Friends of The Farnsworth House, a private fundraising organization, to publicize and assist the effort. But by the start of 2003, crippled by statewide budget woes, the plan had fallen through, and Palumbo turned to the auction block at Sotheby's. Without state backing, and lacking local protective ordinances or architectural easements, the Farnsworth was left in an uncertain position and vulnerable to preservation-unfriendly alteration. "It became more or less up for grabs," notes Bryan. "Again, there was the very real danger that it would be bought by a trophy hunter, someone who would move it or change it dramatically."

To prevent this, the Friends of The Farnsworth joined with the Trust and the Chicago-based Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI) to acquire the house. The Trust and LPCI anted up an initial $1 million toward the auction price, which was estimated at $4.5 million to $6 million. Private and public donations helped amass more funds, but in the months preceding the auction, the pledges remained insufficient. When the three-group party—represented by Bryan, Moe, and LPCI President David Bahlman—traveled to Manhattan in December, it still needed several million additional dollars to secure the purchase.

"On the morning of the auction, we all gathered in my hotel room to assess where we were," says Bryan. "And that afternoon, last-minute donations were able to be made—we received $500,000 from a donor who had already made a large contribution, and $250,000 from another. The Friends of The Farnsworth challenged the Trust and LPCI to double each of their million-dollar pledges, and they both did. By the time we went over to Sotheby's, almost miraculously, we had the capability to bid $6.5 million."

Bidding for the Farnsworth began at $3.5 million, advancing steadily in increments of $100,000; the preservationist team did not enter their offer until the $4.8 million mark. Ultimately, Bryan, Moe, and Bahlman announced a bid for $6.7 million—more than they had authorized—and won. "The time between our bid and the end was the longest 30 seconds you could imagine," says Bryan. "Then, we all just erupted with excitement. After it all, we were happy and exhausted—emotionally and financially."

The following week, the Trust formalized the purchase, contributing an added $800,000 to cover auction costs, and entered into a costewardship agreement with LPCI, which will manage the property. Now, the Farnsworth's future looks hopeful; by this spring, having undergone the necessary refurbishments and added a visitors center, the house will open to the public as a museum dedicated to its history, its design, and the international influence of its architect on 20th-century design.

"We're so pleased," says Richard Moe. "And the partnership with the Friends of The Farnsworth and the Landmarks Preservation Council could not have been better. John Bryan was the real catalyst. When we felt that we were losing momentum, he rallied us all."

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