Architecture and Design Obsession
Former estate of Elizabeth Taylor hits market for $US15.9m
For the first time in 21 years, a Beverly Hills estate formerly owned by Elizabeth Taylor hit the market Tuesday with a price tag worthy of the glamour-loving actress: $US15.9 million.
Taylor bought the house with her second husband, Michael Wilding, in 1954, listing broker Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury told Mansion Global. In 1956, the deed was transferred to Taylor when the couple split. She retained the home until 1957, when she sold it.
Elizabeth Taylor, pictured in 1955, was given the title to the property after she split with her husband, Michael Wilding. Picture Getty/ Marc Angeles
Mansion Global could not determine how much Taylor bought the estate for or how much it sold for.
During her tenure, Taylor would make surprise entrances by arriving late to her own parties, according to a representative for Coldwell Banker.
If these walls could talk: The wonderfully-decorated living area boasts an epic Hollywood view. Picture: Marc Angeles
The home is only 3.2km from the famed Beverly Hills Hotel, where Taylor reportedly spent six of her eight honeymoons.
Taylor and fellow actor Michael Wilding were married between the years 1952 and 1957. Picture: Getty
Spanning 721sqm, the six-bedroom home has an internal atrium, four fireplaces, a library, a sauna and an art studio, according to the listing.
The current owner is 90-year-old Marvin Gross, a retired attorney, who bought the home in 1997, according to property records.
The current owner bought the home in 1997. Picture: Marc Angeles
Gross said he paid $US2 million for the house. He made the purchase when his friend and client, architect Budd Holden, called him and told him about the home.
Gross didn’t care about the celebrity connection. “I just went on Budd’s recommendation,” he told Mansion Global.
After buying the property, Marvin Gross asked his friend, architect Budd Holden, to redesign the home. Picture: Marc Angeles
Budd Holden—known for creating estates for some of the biggest names in Hollywood in the 1980s and 1990s, including Barbra Streisand and Cher—was drafted to redesign and redecorate the entire house. According to Gross, he added about 185sqm of interior space and a lot of windows.
The six-bedroom home has an internal atrium, four fireplaces, a library, a sauna and an art studio. Picture: Marc Angeles
He is selling because, “I’m 90 years old and this is 721sqm of house,” he said. “We are scaling down as they say.”
The celebrity connection may very well help bag the next owner. “People love to have a house with Hollywood history,” says Rey.
Taylor bought the house with Michael Wilding—her second husband—in 1954. Picture: Marc Angeles
This story originally appeared on Mansion Global.
