For sale: Sturges House - Brentwood, CA

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:33 pm

I don't think it would be possible for anyone to tear down a trophy like Sturges. The lot is great, but not so fantastic that someone would buy it at that price in order to build something else. And after the publicity surrounding this sale, who would want to be subjected to the lawsuits and ridicule from the architectural community by ripping apart this Wright masterpiece and Larson's (Jimmy Olsen) home?

No, my bet is there are plenty of producers, directors, maybe even a few actors, who will be lining up to compete for this one.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:40 pm

In LA ? I can't imagine it happening, either. Perhaps in the middle of nowhere. The last significant loss was -- what -- a large Neutra, in Arizona ? Anybody ?

SDR

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:46 pm

Maybe you're thinking of the Neutra Maslon house in Rancho Mirage outside of Palm Springs? That, unfortunately, occurred right before the midcentury mod craze that has swept the town, and would not be possible now...

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/21/magaz ... ESIGN.html

The Kronish house was being sold as a tear down but was spared by Paris Hilton's ex. But let's hope he hasn't already neutered the Neutra:

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/05/p ... ouse_1.php

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:15 pm

Thank you ! (Good) news to me. The article reminds us that Lloyd's Moore house was lost this year, as well.

SDR

Reidy · Post by **Reidy** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:27 pm

I predict that the next owner won't be somebody famous. Owning a Wright house on top of being a celebrity is just too much exposure. Word is that Barbra Streisand and Michael George both looked into buying Stewart but passed for that reason.

Sturges is too small anyway. The only way a celebrity might buy it is as a showpiece to take guests to once in a while, not as a place to live.

(Larson and Bridges were friends of Garbo. Does anyone know if she ever visited the place?)

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 10:56 pm

It is smallâ€¦but: there are some sketches Wright made for an addition. This included enclosing the carport and a master bedroom suite at the back of the property. There's plenty of room for a new carport or garage in the current driveway.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 11:59 pm

Ugh. Thanks -- but no thanks. There are plenty of larger houses in the area. The new owner of this house had best be one who likes the house just as it is. There's only one Sturges house in all the world. It's bad enough that the furniture belonging with the house is likely to be removed -- for reasons I find insufficient, at this distance.

But thanks for the thought ! I suppose there's one thing that would be worse than an enlarged masterpiece, and that's no masterpiece at all . . .

SDR

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 12:16 am

Reidy wrote:I predict that the next owner won't be somebody famous. Owning a Wright house on top of being a celebrity is just too much exposure. Word is that Barbra Streisand and Michael George both looked into buying Stewart but passed for that reason.

Sturges is too small anyway. The only way a celebrity might buy it is as a showpiece to take guests to once in a while, not as a place to live.

Right... I would bet on a producer, director, art director, etc....or a rich, "arty" couple without kids.

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 1:37 pm

Sturges requested the addition, but instead of building it, he built an entirely new house over the hill which replicated the living room at a larger scale to accommodate his tall stature, so he wouldn't have to duck under the beams. I wonder what has happened to that house; I'm sure the Sturgeses have long ago left this life.

Rood · Post by **Rood** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 3:58 pm

Matt wrote:It is smallâ€¦but: there are some sketches Wright made for an addition. This included enclosing the carport and a master bedroom suite at the back of the property. There's plenty of room for a new carport or garage in the current driveway.

When I visited the Sturges House in the 70's, Bridges and Larson said they were interested in somehow enlarging the house, and they were intrigued when I told them Wright had drawn plans to alter the carport.

Later, afraid they might do something all out of character with Wright's design, I sent them 8 x 11 Xerox copies of Wright's plans to help steer them that way, should they ever did decide on an addition. It's just as well they never followed through, but left things just as they were.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 8:55 pm

They say the house needs restorationâ€¦I assume part of that would be replacing much of the exterior wood that appear to have weathered and warped?

DavidC · Post by **DavidC** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 3:52 pm

I've written an email to the owner of LAMA asking if the furniture is to be sold separately, but haven't heard anything back yet.

The auction catalogue won't be available until February 3rd.

Do we know if the Conservancy is aware of this?

David

DavidC · Post by **DavidC** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 4:01 pm

Just found the answer to my own question. I called the Conservancy, they are aware of the auction. They, like us, are unsure if the furnishings will be going separately. Apparently, Jack Larson didn't have much - if any- contact or relationshio with the Conservancy over the years. They plan on having someone from the Conservancy go out there prior to the aution to see what they can learn.

David

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 4:52 pm

Do we know if the auction is to take place at the house ? That doesn't seem likely, somehow . . .

SDR

Unbrook · Post by **Unbrook** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:23 pm

An article I read on the auction mentions the house is part of 75 lots from the estate, so I guess there are other things in the event. I seem to remember a contemporary art collection from photographs.