An iconic home that has periodically been for sale for some 7 years with hardly any variation in the price asked for it (more…)
Category: OPULENCE & SPLENDOUR
Luxury and the arts From houses to cars and from Hockney to van Dyck, a profile of the best and the worst
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Banking a showcase
The sale of The Hellman Heller Mansion in San Francisco
For several years, I enjoyed annual trips to California for San Francisco’s International Film Festival. On my visits I stayed in a tower in one of the smartest addresses, Pacific Heights. The area is home to the city’s elite, the most famous being the author Danielle Steel, and the 1990 thriller Pacific Heights, directed by John Schlessinger CBE and starring Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine and Michael Keaton, was also set there.
During my visits I regularly marveled at the architecture of this wealthy neighbourhood. One building that I found especially striking was a mansion one block north of Lafayette Park at 2020 Jackson Street. An advertisement for this historic home caught my eye this morning as it is now for sale through agents Coldwell Banker.
The Hellman Heller Mansion, 2020 Jackson Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA 94109 The 11,500 “single family residence” consists of a grand reception hall, living room, salon and catering kitchen on the ground floor. Below this is an informal dining kitchen, baking kitchen, wine cellar, au-pair’s bedroom suite and a large garage. The first floor comprises of a master bedroom suite of bedroom, dressing room, walk-in-closet, terrace and his and her bathrooms, as well as an office and an additional bedroom. Four more bedrooms and 3 further bathrooms are located on the floor above along with a media room. Outside space, with panoramic views towards Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, is provided in the form of a lower level garden area and a ground floor terrace.
The Hellman Heller Mansion's Grand Reception Hallway 
The house's impressive staircase 
The Formal Dining Room Constructed in 1902 as a wedding gift from Wells Fargo Bank president Isaias Hellman (1842 – 1920) to his daughter Clara Hellman (1878 – 1959) on her marriage to a prominent lawyer named Emanuel S. Heller (1865 – 1926), 2020 Jackson Street is a mansion in the Louis XVI I style. The property cost some $45,000 to build and was designed by a well-known Bay Area architect named Julius E. Krafft, who had emigrated from Germany in 1872. Many original features survive to this day, amongst them mahogany paneling, herringbone wooden floors and a double-curved grand staircase.
2020 Jackson Street pictured shortly after the Wells Fargo Nevada National Bank took occupancy in 1906 In 1906, the devastating earthquake and subsequent fires that hit San Francisco killed circa 3,500 people and caused some $400,000,000 in damage to the city. The Hellman Heller mansion, partly due to being situated on the strong bedrock of Pacific Heights and partly due to Krafft’s design, survived intact. For a period it became the temporary headquarters of the Wells Fargo Nevada National Bank, the Union Trust Company and also the offices of Heller’s own law firm, Heller Powers & Ehrman.
It is said that this group of business leaders were squeezed into one room with an adjoining water closet. Whilst conducting the mammoth task of clarifying deeds and dealing with insurance claims, they had nowhere other than a tiny bathroom in which to conduct confidential conversations.
Emanuel Heller (second left) pictured with his wife Clara (front right) and his father-in-law Iasais Wolf Hellman and sister-in-law Frances Hellman In later years, Heller’s company evolved and became known just as Heller Ehrman. The prospering organisation negotiated the finance for the Bay Bridge, established the consortium that built the Hoover Dam and took Levi Strauss & Co. public and then private again. Heller Ehrman LLP, which grew to employ more than 730 attorneys in 15 offices in the United States, Europe and Asisa, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008.
The Hellman Hellers used 2020 Jackson Street to hold many glittering functions even as they grew into their dotage. The most lavish came in 1945 when the main reception was held in the house for the United Nations Conference on International Organisation. At the conference, the 50 representatives drew up the United Nations Charter.
After Clara Hellman Heller, who was also the first woman to sit on Wells Fargo’s board of directors, died, 2020 Jackson Street passed to various subsequent owners. It became publicly prominent once more when it was chosen in 1991 as the San Francisco Designer Showcase home. This year, 21 years later, that honour has been bestowed upon the building again.
A terrace at 2020 Jackson Street 
The superb views from the property towards Alcatraz Established 35 years ago, I recall friends speaking of the San Francisco Designer Showcase with great enthusiasm and at 2020 Jackson Street, over 30 designers have been given space to get creative. The result includes rooms such as “The Gentleman’s Study” by Geoffrey De Sousa Interior Design, a “Telephone Room” by Robert Brill Design and “The Press Room” by Lisa Baskamis Interior Design. Even the lift has had a makeover courtesy of Lawanna Cathleen Design.
Conceived to raise funds to aid students at San Francisco University High School’s, the annual event has raised nearly $12,000,000 to date. Running from 28th April to 28th May 2012, general admission tickets are priced at $30. A gala night, with tickets at $175 each, is to be held to mark the opening night on Friday 27th April.
Danielle Steele’s 55-room white limestone home, The Spreckels Mansion, built in 1913 for the bride of the sugar heir Adolph Spreckels, is nearby at 2080 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 The Hellman Heller residence is said to have cost ten times average construction costs when it was built in 1902. Today it is for sale at $17,500,000, a reduction of some $2,500,000 on the asking price of what it was launched onto the market for in 2011.
Perhaps, indeed, participation in the 2012 San Francisco Decorator Showcase will result in 2020 Jackson Street’s owners banking a sale for this truly spectacular home.
For more information on The Hellman Heller Mansion, contact either Dona Crowder of TRI Coldwell Banker on +1 415 229 1399 or email [email protected] or Clark Johnson of Coldwell Banker on +1 925 831 3332 or email [email protected]. For details, go to: http://www.2020jackson.com
For details of the 2012 San Francisco Decorator Showcase at The Hellman Heller Mansion, go to: http://decoratorshowcase.org. Contact Denise Lamont on +1 415 381 8793 or email [email protected] for more information.
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Blessed Clarence
The sale of the £22,500,000 Clarence House in Richmond
Built in 1696 for a haberdasher merchant named Nathaniel Rawlins, Clarence House in Richmond was subsequently extended by his daughter, Elizabeth, before it became a Catholic school in 1792.
The exterior of the Grade II listed Clarence House, 2 The Vineyard, Richmond Hill, Surrey, TW10 6AQ One student at the various schools that were subsequently run from the house was Bernardo O’Higgins, the liberator and founding father of Chile. Famous for his orders, which included such statements as: “Lads! Live with honour, or die with glory! He who is brave, follow me!” during the battle of El Roble, O’Higgins held office from 1817 to 1823. He was deposed by his former “closest ally” Ramón Freire in a conservative coup in January of that year, exiled to Peru and died due to cardiac problems in Lima in 1842.
Bernardo O’Higgins (1778 – 1842), 2nd Supreme Director of Chile Between 1941 and 1947, Clarence House became a storage house for Fortnum & Mason. Their plans in 1943 to demolish the building and to replace it with a bakery, chocolate manufactory, store, tailoring shop and rooms for packing tea and coffee were not executed and in 1967 the house was purchased by the actor Brian Blessed.
Actor Brian Blessed (1936 – ) Blessed, known for his “sonorous voice and hearty, king-sized portrayals,” is a prolific performer who has appeared in Z-Cars, The Avengers, Lovejoy and Flash Gordon. After a successful campaign on the social network Facebook, Blessed became a voice option for TomTom’s satellite navigation devices in 2010 and he also holds the record being the oldest man to trek on foot to the magnetic North Pole. Married to Hildegarde Neil, an actress who appeared alongside Roger Moore in the The Man Who Haunted Himself, Blessed subsequently moved to Windlesham, also in Surrey.
A reception room designed by Taylor Howes Design 
Clarence House’s dining room 
The house’s ultra modern kitchen Considered “one of the finest houses in South West London,” Clarence House has been restored by Taylor Howes Design, who also designed the Hotel Meyrick in Galway, Ireland. It now includes 6 reception rooms, a master suite of bedroom, sitting room, dressing room and bathroom and 5 further bedroom suites. An indoor swimming pool with an infinity style design, gymnasium, 2,000-bottle wine cellar, artist’s studio and 1 bedroom guest cottage complete the offering whilst landscaped gardens by Ross Allan boast magnolia trees, a terrace and water features.
Clarence House’s swimming pool Priced at £22,500,000, whoever buys this fine residence will indeed be blessed with more than 10,000 square foot of accommodation. The price, however, is a far cry from the £25,000 Blessed paid for it back in 1967.
Clarence House is for sale through the Richmond office of Savills. Contact Patrick Glynn-Jones for more information on +44 (0) 20 8614 9100 or email him at [email protected]. Further details can be viewed at: http://residentialsearch.savills.co.uk/property-detail/245686
Follow Savills on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/savillsuk
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Sophie's choice
Tablecloths and bedspreads from Jaipur
It is always good to see a young friend launching a new business and Sophie Rossdale is a fine example of such.
A hand printed Adair tablecloth During a trip to India, Rossdale discovered a team of artisans who made the most appealing tablecloths and bedspreads and set about importing them into the UK.
Hand-printed in “The Pink City” of Jaipur in Rajasthan, the colourful designs she chose combine an “authentic Indian style with a modern European twist” and they certainly will enliven any dining space or bedroom.
Sophie Rossdale Prices for the cloths start at £20 and bedspreads start at £60 each. Available in small and large sizes, the tablecloths measure 2.4m x 1.7m and 2m x 2m. A large bedspread is 2.7m x 2.2m.
Another example of an Adair tablecloth Comments Rossdale:
“I picked these designs because they bring joy to any room. They are of the highest quality and are easy to wash, dry and press. They also make great gifts for friends and family.”
For more information of the Adair range, go to: http://www.adairuk.com. To purchase, contact Sophie Rossdale on +44 (0) 793 203 7547 or email her at: [email protected]
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Is it worth the Fisk?
An overview on the pioneering Fisker Automotive company
Electric vehicles have long interested me. A formidable engineer I knew was hugely sceptical of the early offerings but another friend, Nicko Williamson, has been a pioneer in green vehicles through his hugely successful Climate Cars taxi business. Williamson recently was named one of London’s “1,000 most influential people” and has even gained endorsement from The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
The stunning Fisker Karma In the main, electric cars are ones that I can’t say I’d choose to travel in. After reading in October 2010 of a lady named Judit Nadal who died in London in what her husband described as a “flimsy vehicle,” I became even more suspicious. The badly designed G-Wiz, following this tragic death, brought to this class of vehicles as much of an association with danger as they already had with a lack of both range and power. Thankfully, this image is now changing thanks to a company named Fisker Automotive.
On a recent BBC Top Gear show, presenter James May introduced viewers to the Fisker Automotive’s first model, the Karma. Here, he stated, was a car that truly is a stunningly designed electric vehicle but also one that actually is pretty swift off the mark too.
The normally cynical May praised the Fisker Karma as “probably the most politically correct car on earth” whilst his guest AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, himself a confirmed petrolhead, described it as a “cracking looking jamjar.” That these two car lovers were impressed immediately drew me to examine this vehicle further.
A view of the Fisker Karma’s solar panel roof Capable of achieving 0 – 60 mph in “just a tad over 6 seconds,” the Fisker Karma may only be capable of a top speed of 125 mph but it has more torque than a Bugatti Veyron because of its electric motors. It is, according to May, a 2.5 tonne vehicle that is a “pleasure to drive.”
Unlike other electric vehicles, the Fisker Karma boasts a 2.0 litre General Motors sourced petrol engine that, when engaged, creates more electricity. Effectively this is a vehicle with an onboard power station and one that additionally boasts a 120-watt solar panel on the roof. The car, though, is also the only luxury electric vehicle currently available that has an ability to travel 50 miles on electric only with zero emissions. Environmental considerations here plainly don’t sacrifice an enjoyable drive.
To Henrik Fisker, the Danish co-founder of Fisker Automotive, style was also a key consideration. Fisker was responsible for the styling of vehicles including the Shelby GR1 concept, the Aston V8 Vantage and the BMW Z8 Roadster in previous roles at the Ford Motor Company, Aston Martin and DesignworksUSA, BMW’s California-based design studio and in the Karma he’s again shown his ability to create a vehicle that stands out.
The design keeps sustainability in mind. Fabrics are sourced from the Bridge of Weir Scottish leather makers, who insist upon the suppliers abiding to the Farm Animal Welfare Council’s conditions, and in the EcoChic Karma model it is possible to have an interior that is made with completely animal-free materials. Diamond Dust™ paint is free of solvents and wood trims are unvarnished and reclaimed from Californian wild fires.
Fisker Automotive has built about 2,000 units and delivered 840 of them to 46 dealers and distributors throughout the USA. The company claims that: “orders are outpacing production” and Al Gore, Colin Powell, Leonardo di Caprio and Ashton Kutcher already number among their customers.
Henrik Fisker, co-Founder of Fisker Automotive Today, Fisker Automotive announced the appointment of Tom LaSorda, a former CEO, President and Vice Chairman of the Chrysler Group, as their new CEO and gave him full responsibility for the company’s day-to-day operations. This move comes after recent speculation that Fisker Automative was about to go under after it laid off around 65 of its 700 workers following issues with various loans from the US Department of Energy. The appointment of a titan of LaSorda’s standing, industry experts suggest, puts paid to such rumours.
As part of today’s deal, in a business that management claim will turn a profit by 2013, LaSorda has invested his own money in the company whilst Fisker will now concentrate on brand building and designing new vehicles.
A Fisker Karma displayed in the window of Harrods, 87 – 135 Brompton Road, London, SW1X 7XL This January, Fisker Automotive displayed the Karma in the window at Harrods in London during the Winter Sale to showcase it to an international audience. Priced from $102,000 (around £86,000), the Fisker Karma will become available in markets outside of America in the coming months. A second vehicle, the Fisker Surf Shooting Brake, will be launched at a later date.
In the UK itself, the Fisker Karma will be on sale in 2013 and I, for one, will very much look forward to hearing more about this groundbreaking and luxurious electric arrival.
For more information on Fisker Automotive, go to: http://www.fiskerautomotive.com
Follow Fisker Automotive on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/fiskerauto
For more on Climate Cars, go to: http://www.climatecars.com
All images © Fisker Automotive 2012.
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Hurricane Heather
Heather Mills puts her Sussex home up for rent
Has Heather Mills, the daughter of a convicted fraudster, spent her entire £24.3 million divorce settlement? We all knew that this lady with an interesting past was a spendaholic but the fact that she’s put her 8 bedroomed country home up for rent for £7,995 per month could be an indication that the former wife of Sir Paul McCartney is suffering like the rest of us during this economic slump.
Heather's crib Mills’ arts and crafts residence in Brightling Road, Robertsbridge, Sussex dates to 1914 and stands in 15 acres of wooded grounds. Bought with part of her divorce settlement, the house includes 6 reception rooms and 6 bathrooms and a childrens’ play area that the former glamour model plainly created for her daughter Beatrice. The kitchen is designed for the cooking of the vomit inducing “plant based raw diet” meals favoured by Newcastle born Mills and features a Rangemaster oven, Maytag fridge freezer and a wine cooler. A cloakroom is appropriately described as featuring a “Crapper’s WC” and the master suite includes an “en-suite” shower room with a “rain sky waterfall shower” large enough for the ego of a woman best known for hurling a jug of water over Fiona, now Baroness Shackleton.
A shower for a woman with an ego the size of Sussex Mills’ lack of business acumen since her divorce has been clearly illustrated several times over. First there was the disaster of the Vbites café she opened in Hove Lagoon in 2009. Diners were not impressed and described the food as “of such poor quality” and “tasting like worms.” Equally the investment of this proven compulsive liar, who was previously engaged to my neighbour Raffaele Mincione, in Redwood Foods hasn’t exactly paid off either.
A kitchen capable of the preparation of the most ghastly meals Brand Heather has never rung true in my mind and yet again her attempt to rent out her home is only indication of another hurricane she must be fronting.
If you do fancy living like Heather Mills, contact Savills of Tunbridge Wells on +44 (0) 1892 314 453. Website: http://www.savills.com
If you can stomach reading her bile, go to Heather Mills’ official site at http://www.heathermills.org
For more on Vbites see http://www.vbites.com
If you really wish to follow Heather Mills you can find her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/heatherofficial