
R. Buckminster Fuller
1895–1983
R. Buckminster Fuller was a visionary American architect, industrial designer and inventor. Over the course of his career, he strove to improve the quality of human life through efficient design principles or as he described, “doing more with less.” Wright celebrates his contributions to art and science offering Fuller's work in over 20 auctions to date.
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When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.
Buckminster Fuller
Interesting Facts of Note
Even though Buckminster Fuller did not receive a formal education, he received 47 honorary doctorate degrees and authored 28 books.
In 1985 scientists made an exciting discovery—a new carbon molecule linked together forming a hollow sphere which was named buckminsterfullerene after the architect.
His revolutionary concept of “spaceship earth” helps humanity visualize the planet with greater accuracy allowing us to better address the challenges we face.

Integrity is the essence of everything successful.
Buckminster Fuller

R. Buckminster Fuller 1895–1983
Architect, designer, inventor, geometrician, educator—Richard Buckminster ‘Bucky’ Fuller was a global forward-thinker and accomplished individual. Over the course of his career, he strove to improve the quality of human life through efficient design principles or as he described, “doing more with less.”
He was born in 1895 to a distinguished New England family known to be non-conformists. Fuller never received a formal education and was dismissed from Harvard University twice. It was during his time in the U.S. Navy that his aptitude for engineering soared. He invented a device that sped the recovery time of downed airplanes presenting him the opportunity for officer training at the U.S. Naval Academy. There he developed a new method of reinforcing concrete buildings, the first of his 28 patents, a concept that helped him realize his calling to serve humanity through inventive, sustainable housing. In 1927, Fuller invented the Dymaxion House, a modular apartment building, which could be easily built at low-cost and airlifted to its location. Following this pioneering design, he created a series of streamlined inventions from cars to bathrooms.
During the 1930s he published Shelter magazine and later served as the science and technology consultant for Fortune magazine. In the 1940s he began sharing his ideas around the world lecturing at Harvard, MIT and in the 1950s at the Southern Illinois University. His most widely known invention was the geodesic domes first introduced in 1947. The domes balance compression and tension throughout the structure by distributing stress and can be installed as one unit. The geodesic dome was patented in 1954 and today more than 300,000 can be found around the world.
R. Buckminster Fuller was, in his own words, “an emerging synthesis of artist, inventor, mechanic, objective economist and evolutionary strategist.” A highly celebrated pioneer, he received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, in 1983 and the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture by Queen Elizabeth II. He died in Los Angeles in 1983.
Auction Results R. Buckminster Fuller

R. Buckminster Fuller
Geodesic Tensegrity Sphere, 120 Strut, 4 Frequency Dome
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $30,000

R. Buckminster Fuller
Dymaxion blueprints
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $19,050

R. Buckminster Fuller
Inventions: Twelve Around One portfolio (twelve works)
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $17,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
Geodesic Tensegrity Sphere, 120 Strut, 4 Frequency Dome
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $17,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
Complex of Jitterbugs
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $13,200

R. Buckminster Fuller
Single-cell Jitterbug
estimate: $4,000–5,000
result: $9,375

R. Buckminster Fuller
6-Strut Tensegrity
estimate: $4,000–5,000
result: $9,375

R. Buckminster Fuller
Geodesic Home model
estimate: $1,000–1,500
result: $7,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
Dymaxion Air-Ocean World Map
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $7,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
30 Strut, 3 Frequency (3v) Geodesic Tensegrity Sculpture Dome
estimate: $7,000–9,000
result: $7,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
Inventions: Twelve Around One portfolio (thirteen works)
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $7,500

R. Buckminster Fuller
Jitterbug Atom
estimate: $1,500–2,000
result: $7,200

R. Buckminster Fuller
Dymaxion Airocean World Map poster
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $5,313

R. Buckminster Fuller
30 Strut, 3 Frequency (3v) Geodesic Tensegrity Sculpture Dome
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $5,000

R. Buckminster Fuller
Single-cell Jitterbug
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $5,000

R. Buckminster Fuller
Jitterbug Atom
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $4,688
Additional Resources
Buckminster Fuller Institute
Buckminster Fuller: Thinking Out Loud - About R. Buckminster Fuller on PBS
Buckminster Fuller, Intellectual Outlaw — The New Yorker
Eight of Buckminster Fuller's Most Forward-thinking Ideas — Dezeen
R. Buckminster Fuller —Encyclopedia Britannica
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I just invent, then wait until man comes around to needing what I've invented.
Buckminster Fuller