Wingsdomain Rates Frank Lloyd Wright Building aka V.C.Morris Gift Shop Building 5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful work of art and architecture that has stood the test of time. This is a wonderful find if you’re ever in the San Francisco Union Square area. And the rest of Maiden Lane is not too shabby either!
The only San Francisco Frank Lloyd Wright building at 140 Maiden Lane built in 1948 was originally designed for a V.C. Morris Gift Shop (Vere and Lillian Morris), and was Wright’s physical prototype for the circular ramp at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Through the years, the building’s been occupied by both art galleries and fashion boutiques at various times. It achieved city landmark status in 1974, and its current resident is the ISAIA Napoli, an Italian men’s fashion store.
The ‘Mousetrap!’
“The architect described his asymmetrical Romanesque arched entry as a “mousetrap.” Beyond the portal, a narrow barrel-vaulted corridor revealed the shop’s circular interior. There, two white Persian cats lounged amid the fine china and crystal. The elite of San Francisco society patronized V. C. Morris Gift Shop, where they purchased streamlined, elegant tableware and objets d’art. Shopkeepers Vere and Lillian Morris hired Wright to renovate the exterior and interior of their business. Before construction, Wright explained his windowless concept to his clients: “We are not going to dump your beautiful merchandise on the street, but create an arch-tunnel of glass, into which the passersby may look and be enticed. As they penetrate further into the entrance … they will suddenly push open the door, and you’ve got them!”” -nobhillgazette
…..from rags to riches!
A little back story on Maiden Lane. The street started life as St. Mark’s Street and by the time it became Morton Street, it was a well traveled street for brothels, prostitutes, and other “entertainment” of ill repute. After Morton Street, it spent time as Union Square Ave and Manila Alley before becoming the Maiden Lane we know today……and just to confuse the street further, Maiden Lane started life in the financial district about a block from what’s now the Transamerica Pyramid. The name was eventually changed to Ils Lane, and a small opening of the “street” between buildings still survives today.
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Available Museum Quality Prints
MUSEUM QUALITY PRINTS can be purchased from any image on my website. If you just want a simple print that’s rolled in a tube, that’s great! If you want it framed, we’ll do that too! We also sell canvas prints, metal prints, and more. All of our premium papers and canvases are acid-free and, with proper care, will last for generations. Unframed prints are shipped in sturdy 1/4″ cardboard tubes and include a 1″ white border to allow for future matting and framing. Prints may also be shipped in flat packaging upon request. Pick your favorite art and photography from my website, and a museum-quality masterpiece will be on its way to you within 2 – 3 business days!
FRAMED PRINTS are offered in 230 frames and 100 mats which can be used to create museum-quality masterpieces from any image on my site! All framed prints are assembled, packaged, and shipped by our expert framing staff and arrive “ready to hang” with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails. Pick your favorite art and photography from my site, and a museum-quality masterpiece will be on its way to you within 2 – 3 business days!
CANVAS PRINTS are printed on one of our premium canvases and then stretched on a wooden frame of 1.5″ x 1.5″ stretcher bars. All canvas prints are shipped “ready to hang” with a hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails. Canvas prints are offered in two different wrap styles, three different border styles, and hundreds of frame options. Pick your favorite art and photography from my site, and a museum-quality masterpiece will be on its way to you within 2 – 3 business days!
METAL PRINTS are printed directly onto a sheet of 1/16″ thick aluminum! The aluminum sheet is offset from the wall by a 3/4″ thick wooden frame which is attached to the back. The wooden frame on the back of the print includes a hanging wire for easy mounting on your wall. All metal prints arrive “ready to hang” with mounting hooks and nails. Metal prints are extremely durable. They’re lightweight. They won’t bend, and they’re water resistant. The high gloss of the aluminum sheet complements the rich colors of any image to produce stunning results.
Return policy is very simple. If you're not happy with a purchase, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - we do not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality. Pick HERE if you want to return a product now. Satisfaction Guarantee 877-807-5901
