Rare furniture designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright will return to its original home in Springfield following efforts by Gov. James R. Thompson and more than $800,000 in donations. Thompson said Friday he has negotiated deals for the state-owned Dana-Thomas House museum to buy the furniture, a $704,000 double pedestal table lamp, a $20,000 drafting table and four dining room chairs costing $120,000. ``There are only a few major pieces from the Dana home that are still privately owned, so the opportunities to purchase them, either at auction or by private sale agreements, are extremely rare,'' Thompson said. Experts describe the Dana-Thomas house, built by Wright for $60,000 around 1903, as one of the finest examples of the architect's Prairie School houses open to the public. The house, commissioned by Susan Lawrence Dana and now maintained by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is one of the most completely furnished of all Wright's buildings. The lamp was purchased by the Dana-Thomas House Foundation through a direct sale arranged without fee by Christie's auction house in New York, Thompson said, noting that it is scheduled to arrive upon final payment next June. ``Considering the near-hysteria surrounding the acquisition of authentic Wright pieces and the rapidly escalating prices being offered by collectors, we were pleased that Christie's agreed to the private sale of this rare lamp,'' he said. The chairs were bought from a Colorado family and were returned to the Dana House in September. The drafting table will be bought from a private owner through Christie's.
