For those of you who have missed following it in the news, a skylight window from the DDM House was recently and accidentally discovered by noted local antiques dealer Kelly Schultz mounted in an interior wall in a local home.
It was auctioned yesterday in his antiques auction in Clarence. There were six bidders and as always it winnows down to one remaining bidder who purchased it for $80,000. It is reputed to be a private collector and has remained unidentified. The DDM House for some reason is hoping it will be donated back to them (The buyer's agent says little chance of that.) while at the same time saying that they really had no interest in bidding on the window because reproductions can be less expensively produced, although they stated they had put in an offer to buy it from the owner prior to the auction, which was turned down.
It is sad to see a piece of our significant FLW history leave the area but highlights the argument over original vs. reproduction in restorations especially considering that whether either is used, it is still FLW designed only and not actually built or touched in any way by the renowned architect. It is an argument over how our restoration dollars can best be used. And no, just in case you are wondering, I did not bid on the window and win it, but now if it was a Graycliff artifact, well another story.....
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130803/CITYANDREGION/130809734#
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