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

Mucking Up A Manor

“Grand” Grade II* listed Midlands manor for sale for just £350,000; it comes with a 49-seat cinema and several unexpected catches

Where there’s muck, there’s money and a late 18^th century Midlands manor house currently for sale for just £350,000 ($451,000, €402,000 or درهم1.65 million) provides an example of the tale of the progress and decline of industrial wealth in once Great Britain.

Built in 1757 for a family of Black Country industrialists, Wordsley Manor in Wordsley, near Stourbridge has been owned by the Firmstone family and their relatives since around 1850. A red brick built, four floor “small mansion” that extends to 7,464 square foot in total, the building has been Grade II* listed since 1976 and was expanded in the 19^th century with the addition of two service wings.

Comprising of 3 reception rooms, 7 cellar rooms, 4 bedrooms and just 1 bathroom, dilapidated Wordsley Manor is – giving explanation for its extremely low asking price – in need of complete renovation. It comes, however, with an unexpected bonus: Where bedrooms previously existed on its second floor, there is currently an art studio and a quirky 49-seat cinema with a Christie organ, box office and projection and switch rooms.

Architect Christopher Firmstone and wife Joan have been occupants of Wordsley since inheriting it in 1991. They have attempted to maintain the house but in 2011, Mr Firmstone told the Birmingham Mail:

“I took it on and sorted it out as best I could. Most people would have run a mile, but I had a real sense of attachment to it [he spent his childhood there also]”.

“I spent a bit more than I could afford on it, but I was unable to do everything that needed doing”.

In 2013, the couple followed in the footsteps of relatives who had sold off much of the surrounding land for housing in the mid 20^th century and agreed a deal with a firm of developers named David Alexander Homes. In exchange for yet another parcel of the former estate’s grounds – that was subsequently marketed rather cheesily as a residential complex named “To the Manor Bourne” – a £400,000 ($512,000, €460,000 or درهم1.88 million) payment is to be made towards the restoration of Wordsley Manor.

In their sales brochure, agents The Lee, Shaw Partnership state: “Best and final offers must be made for Wordsley Manor by 5.30pm on Tuesday 27^th June”. They add: “Only cash purchasers” need apply.

May 30, 2017
Wealthy in Wiltshire

Classically proportioned Wiltshire village house for sale; it’ll supposedly appeal to “your typical wealthy Briton” (whatever that might mean)

Primarily built between 1620 and 1760, a classically proportioned four-storey house in the Wiltshire village of Seend has been placed on the market this week for £4.5 million ($5.8 million, €5.2 million or درهم21.2 million).

Of ashlar and rendered stone construction and built for Mary, Dowager Duchess of Somerset in 1760, Seend Park (or ‘Seend Green House’ as it was previously known) was owned by the now retired judge Sir Mathew Thorpe from 1971 and since 1990 by its current owners. It has been Grade II listed since 1962 and was somewhat unkindly described by the architectural scholar Sir Nikolaus Pevsner CBE FBA (1902 – 1983) as: “So absolutely plain… that it looks like an institution”.

The main house, which has been modernised in recent years and extends to 11,357 square foot, includes 4 reception rooms, 11 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. It has many original features and in addition there is a 4 bedroom, 1,994 square foot lodge and a 3,630 square foot coach house within the property’s 26.4-acre grounds.

Of the pint-sized mini estate, James Mackenzie of selling agents Strutt & Parker told The Times: “Architecturally, the house will attract your typical wealthy Briton”.

May 27, 2017
Anything But A Steel

Renovated Pacific Heights, San Francisco residence with Danielle Steel as a neighbour for sale for sum 652% higher than it sold for in 1994

A buyer wishing to live just to the north of Danielle Steel’s architecturally striking ‘Spreckels Mansion’ home can now purchase 1994 Jackson Street in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights.

For sale with agent Malin Giddings, the 5,490 square foot, 4-storey detached house offered includes not only 4 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, but also a bar, wine room, exercise room, elevator and barbecue. It comes with a 2-car garage, two balconies and a garden and is curiously described as having a “re-scripted aesthetic” that “caters to the 21^st century family while incorporating the best finishes of yesterday and today”.

Built in 1940 and completely reconfigured by Ken Fulk – an “incredible… sprightly… design guru” with a client list ranging from Napster’s Sean Parker to Bebo’s Michael and Xochi Birch, according to Vanity Fair – £8.40 million ($10.75 million, €9.62 million or درهم39.50 million) is sought for the house.

Indicative of the sharp rise in prices in the neighbourhood since it became popular with the titans of Silicon Valley, 1994 Jackson Street sold for $6.25 million in 2008 (the equivalent of $7.10 million, £5.55 million, €6.35 million or درهم26.09 million today) and $1.43 million in 1994 (the equivalent of $2.36 million, £1.84 million, €2.11 million or درهم8.67 million today). Plainly, now, this is a house that’s anything but a steal.

Prior to renovation – 1994 Jackson Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California, CA 94109, United States of America as it was presented when sold in 2008

1994 Jackson Street today

The house is set just beneath Danielle Steele’s ‘Spreckels Mansion’ (2080 Washington Street)

Danielle Steel and her palatial home

1994 Jackson Street (viewed from the side)

The house has been made-over by San Francisco “man-about-town” Ken Fulk

He is famed for having designed homes for amongst others Michael and Xochi Birch

The staircase of 1994 Jackson Street

The house’s main reception space

The dining room

The kitchen

A colourfully carpeted entertaining area

A recreation room with a bar

The master suite has a bedroom area, sitting area, dressing room, balcony and bathroom

Another of the four/five bedrooms in the house

The view

A floor plan of the space

May 27, 2017
A Costly Capri

‘Refinished’ 1987 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands for sale for a sum that will wow; it’s affectionately known as ‘Oscar’

The car of choice of boy racers, the Ford Capri was dubbed ‘The Pratmobile’ by Rodney after Del Boy bought one in the BBC series Only Fools and Horses. Those that kept such vehicles, unlike the majority who sent them to be scrapped, are now having the last laugh as their prices are rocketing and an example of such comes in the form of a 1987 Capri 280 Brooklands that is to be auctioned in July.

The fastback coupé to be offered is described by Silverstone Auctions as “the best Capri Brooklands we’ve ever seen” and is affectionately known as ‘Oscar’. It has been “refinished” – not “restored” – at great expense and has just 14,680 miles on the clock.

The car will be sold with an estimate of £35,000 to £45,000 ($44,800 to $57,600, €40,100 to €51,500 or درهم164,700 to درهم211,700) at Silverstone Auctions’ 29^th to 30^th July sale.

May 27, 2017
A Refuge for the Reds

‘Withnail and I-esque’ former farmstead, in an area of North Yorkshire where red squirrels remarkably thrive, for sale for the same price as a studio in Chelsea, SW3

A Grade II listed former farmstead dating to the 1680s in North Yorkshire has recently come up for sale. Though “in need of refurbishment” and having an appearance not dissimilar to Uncle Monty’s cottage in the cult film Withnail and I, High Houses at Snaizeholme, near Hawes is priced at just £325,000 ($421,000, €375,000 or درهم1.5 million) – the same sum as a 178 square foot studio in Chelsea Cloisters in London.

High Houses, Snaizeholme, Hawes and High Abbotside, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, DL8 3NB, United Kingdom

For the same price, in Chelsea, all one could purchase would be this poky ground floor studio flat

High Houses is situated in one of the few areas of the country where native red squirrels are beating off the invader grey squirrels

Situated within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and located in one of 17 red squirrel refuges in the north of England, High Houses enjoys “stunning views” across the countryside of the Widdale Valley – the domain of the Wensleydale Pack of foxhounds – and comes with unlandscaped gardens and a paddock.

Aside from a main house with 2 reception rooms, a kitchen with an oil fired Rayburn, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the property also includes an attached byre with potential for conversion, a detached barn that was formerly a residence and a stone-built pig sty. Selling agents J. R. Hooper & Co. point out that High Houses is supplied by private spring fed water and surprisingly, given the property’s somewhat isolated position, add: “Broadband is available”.

May 26, 2017
A Cool Limo

Lincoln Continental limousine once owned by Steve McQueen to be auctioned in California in June

“King of Cool” Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980) is best remembered for having driven Ferraris, Ford GT40’s, Jaguars and Porsches but now a 1965 Lincoln Continental limousine owned by him during the 1970s is to be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s at their Santa Monica sale.

The vehicle, which was built by Lehmann-Peterson, features a 430-cid V8 engine, air conditioning and best of all “a fully functional bar that mechanically opens with the push of a button and is still stocked with the original crystal drinking set”. The rear compartment seats five in “stately style” and the car, the auction catalogue states: “To arrive for an affair in a high-end limousine in the mid-1960s displayed the zenith of success. This Lincoln will remind one of the time when elegance and panache dominated the nightlife and the vehicles the beautiful people arrived in”.

A guide of £77,000 to £116,000 ($100,000 to $150,000 €89,000 to €133,000 or درهم367,000 to درهم551,000) has been set for the Lincoln limousine. It will be sold on 24^th June at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport.

May 23, 2017
Belgravia in Bloom

Grand Belgravia apartment – complete with a garden that wouldn’t look out of place at the Chelsea Flower Show – for sale

As thousands of garden lovers visit the Chelsea Flower Show this week, an individual with £8.95 million ($11.63 million, €10.39 million or درهم42.71 million) to spare could acquire a more permanent horticultural delight in the form of a ground and basement maisonette in nearby Belgravia.

Flat 1 at 57 Eaton Place provides not only 3,497 square foot – with 3 reception rooms, 3 bedroom suites and staff accommodation – but also a courtyard and terrace garden that selling agent Louise Hewlett describes as giving a “country outlook in an urban Belgravia traditional white stucco building”.

The flat is held on a lease of 108 years and a service charge of £11,689 ($15,187, €13,577 or درهم55,771) is payable annually.

May 23, 2017
Making a Manor

Refurbished Surrey manor house with connections to Detmar Blow and Gertrude Jekyll for sale for £2.55 million

Reduced in price by £200,000 since when it was previously on the market in June 2015, a Surrey manor house is again for sale – but this time for £2.55 million ($3.32 million, €2.96 million or درهم12.20 million).

First mentioned in association with Robert de Upbroke in 1282, Osbrooks at Capel, near Dorking was built as a hall and smoke bay house in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Subsequently redeveloped in the 17^th century and then extended by Detmar Blow (1867 – 1939) – an architect, contemporary of Edwin Lutyens and disciple of John Ruskin – in the arts and crafts style in the early 20^th century. The building was given Grade II listed status in November 1966 and more recently had a swimming pool, gym and garaging added.

Osbrooks in 1890

Osbrooks today (with 20th century extension to left)

Standing in 14 acres of gardens and grounds designed by amongst others the especially prolific Gertrude Jekyll (1843 – 1932), Osbrooks now provides 4,987 square foot and features 4 reception rooms, a bar, 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. It includes such details as oak joinery, leaded windows and tall, diagonal chimney stacks and could very easily be used as a location in a Midsomer Murders or Miss Marple murder mystery television drama.

Of the property, in April, John Fisher of selling agents Sotheby’s International Realty told The Times: “It could be a house for entertaining as well as comfortable living. It has all the space you could require, as well as proximity to good schools”.

An adjoining 4-acre plot with stabling and planning permission for a 1,959 square foot, single storey dwelling is also available through Sotheby’s. It is offered for £450,000 ($586,000, €523,000 or درهم2.2 million).

May 22, 2017
Faded Grandeur

Knightsbridge flat for sale for £3.75 million in spite of needing complete renovation and having a lease with just 9 years remaining

A lateral flat – with an interior that could be described as ‘Miss Havisham-esque’ in terms of its faded grandeur – at 16/17 Ennismore Gardens, SW7 has gone on sale for £3.75 million ($4.89 million, €4.36 million or درهم17.96 million).

Comprising of a first floor balcony flat of 3,111 square foot and a fifth floor staff or guest flat of 488 square foot, the 3,559 square foot property offered has a total of 3 reception rooms, 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It is within a Grade II listed building and described by selling agents Hobart Slater as being “potentially one of the finest apartments in Ennismore Gardens”.

The catch? There are just nine years left on the lease and though this could be extended, purchased at asking price it effectively equates to a cost of £417,000 per year ($544,000, €485,000 or درهم2 million per year). A further expense comes in the form of a service charge of £17,672 per year ($23,033, €20,554 or درهم84,641 per year) also.

May 20, 2017
A Highly Priced Hall

Queen Anne house in South Yorkshire for sale for punchy sum of £1.2 million

An architecturally striking four-storey Queen Anne house in South Yorkshire is for sale for £1.2 million ($1.6 million, €1.4 million or درهم5.7 million) in spite of standing on a small plot that is overlooked by its now converted former outbuildings.

Originally built circa 1720 and Grade II listed since 1968, The Hall at High Hoyland, near Barnsley is built of coursed squared stone with ashlar dressings and has a stone slate roof. It has many original features, provides 4 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and has gardens to both front and rear.

The Hall is offered by the England Residential Estate Agency.

May 19, 2017