Sunday, July 20, 2014

Jane Fonda's New Mexico ranch and The Mansion near Bray in Berkshire

 

 

 

Jane Fonda's New Mexico ranch and The Mansion near Bray in Berkshire

Jane Fonda's New Mexico ranch hits the market at a JAW-DROPPING $19.5 million... and with over 300,000 acres

  • Fonda has owned the ranch for 14 years, but due to a busy schedule has decided to part with it
  • The Pecos River runs through the property, giving the property the feel of an oasis in the middle of the desert
  • Fonda: 'Forked Lightning Ranch has been a sanctuary and a place of great joy and recreation for me and my family'

Jane Fonda, two-time Oscar winner, has put her Forked Lightning ranch on sale for $19.5 million, saying that she no longer has time to enjoy the property

+14

Jane Fonda, two-time Oscar winner, has put her Forked Lightning ranch on sale for $19.5 million, saying that she no longer has time to enjoy the property

In the market to buy a ranch? This sprawling New Mexico desert oasis can be yours today... if you have $19.5 million to pony up.

Forked Lightning Ranch, located in Santa Fe, has belonged Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda since 2000, when she purchased it to satisfy her demands for privacy and luxury. She has called the ranch 'an enchanted place.'

The exquisite beauty of the home's interior is matched only by the jaw-dropping environment that surrounds it, with views of mountains, rivers, and canyons all nearby.

Fonda, 76, says that she is selling the property because, due to her careful balance of life and work, she can no longer make enough time to enjoy the property.

Fonda was last seen on screen in the HBO drama 'The Newsroom,' which stars Jeff Daniels and Emily Mortimer. She also released a book in March 2014, her third.

'Forked Lightning Ranch has been a sanctuary and a place of great joy and recreation for me and my family,' says Fonda. 'Many changes have occurred in my life since 2000 and I am no longer able to spend as much time on the Ranch as I once was. I feel the time has come to pass the Ranch on to a new custodian of this enchanted place.'

The actress of such notable films as 'Nine To Five' with Dolly Parton and 'Fun With Dick and Jane' with George Segal  redeveloped the 9,585 square foot main home, known as River House.

An understated portion of the exterior of the home, the part of the ranch where the horses are kept

+14

An understated portion of the exterior of the home, the part of the ranch where the horses are kept

The ornate dining area, part of the nearly 10,000-square foot main house

+14

The ornate dining area, part of the nearly 10,000-square foot main house

A view of the ranch with the seemingly endless land surrounding it, including the river that Fonda did work on to bisect

+14

A view of the ranch with the seemingly endless land surrounding it, including the river that Fonda did work on to bisect

A bedroom i the ranch, which gives off a rustic vibe for the owner or visitors to enjoy

+14

A bedroom i the ranch, which gives off a rustic vibe for the owner or visitors to enjoy

The wide-open kitchen, laid out simply but tastefully

+14

The wide-open kitchen, laid out simply but tastefully

An upstairs portion of the ranch, decked out in saddles and Native American-themed rugs

+14

An upstairs portion of the ranch, decked out in saddles and Native American-themed rugs

The ranch also includes the Hacienda - a 2,125 square-foot guest home, a 3,409 square-foot Log House, a 12-stall Equestrian Facility as well as a gym.

According to estate agents Swan Land Company, Fonda took 'great care' restoring a three-and-a-half mile stretch of a trout-rich Pecos River, one of the finest fisheries in New Mexico, that bisects the ranch.

The estate is on the boundary to the north and east of 311,040 acres of the Pecos National Forest which is part of the 1,558,452 acre Santa Fe National Forest and is 25 miles from the main city.

The Pecos River Valley served as a natural spot for those traveling between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost extension of the Rockies, and the Great Plains.

A view of the majestic Pecos River, which flows through the property

+14

A view of the majestic Pecos River, which flows through the property

Another view of the Pecos River, which shows the large size and clear waters of the river

+14

Another view of the Pecos River, which shows the large size and clear waters of the river

Another view of the canyon surrounding the river, all part of the ranch's property

+14

Another view of the canyon surrounding the river, all part of the ranch's property

The ranch has a spectacular view of the Pecos River, as well as rock stairs leading down to the river for guests to enjoy

+14

The ranch has a spectacular view of the Pecos River, as well as rock stairs leading down to the river for guests to enjoy

The ranch even boasts of evidence of the wagon route that once passed through the boundaries of the property, where pioneering homesteaders and military traveled. Their tracks still mark the eastern property boundary of the Ranch.

Mike Swan, owner and managing broker, said: 'We are honored to be the brokerage representing this significant piece of New Mexico's history.'

'This ranch is unparalleled in its offering of elegant living combined with carefully guarded wilderness, a fine trout fishery and proximity to Santa Fe, one of the country's most sophisticated, culturally-rich and oldest capital cities,' said Swan. Fonda won two Academy Award in the 1970s, the first for the murder mystery 'Klute', co-starring Donald Sutherland in 1971. She received her second Oscar in 1978 for 'Coming Home', a love-triangle drama co-starring Jon Voight.

Fonda also enjoyed success in the 1980s with her series of workout tapes. Beginning in 1982 with 'Jane Fonda's Workout,' she produced 11 workout videotapes which sold very well. Her original tape became the highest-selling home video for years after its release.

Another view of the ornate interiors of the ranch, including the deer head mounted to the wall for an added 'outdoorsy' effect

+14

Another view of the ornate interiors of the ranch, including the deer head mounted to the wall for an added 'outdoorsy' effect

A large hill looms over the property, the main house somewhat resembling a log cabin

+14

A large hill looms over the property, the main house somewhat resembling a log cabin

Open fields for any animal (horses, dogs, etc.) to run completely free and wild

+14

Open fields for any animal (horses, dogs, etc.) to run completely free and wild

 

 

As bow ties are plumped and hair is coiffed for this evening’s First Night of the Proms, an orchestra will be preparing to play Elgar’s biblical oratorio The Kingdom.

But that isn’t the only curtain raiser, for today the home where Edward Elgar composed some of his finest pieces goes on the market for £2.25 million.

The 18th century four-bedroom house just outside of Bray in Berkshire saw Elgar labour over the oratorio and part of his Cello Concerto.

Stunning: The Mansion near Bray in Berkshire, which saw Elgar compose some of his finest pieces, is on sale for £2.25 million

+8

Stunning: The Mansion near Bray in Berkshire, which saw Elgar compose some of his finest pieces, is on sale for £2.25 million

Riverside: The Berkshire mansion's gardens are set beside the River Thames

+8

Riverside: The Berkshire mansion's gardens are set beside the River Thames

Historic: the swimming pool was formerly the music room where English composer Elgar wrote his Cello Concerto and The Kingdom

+8

Historic: the swimming pool was formerly the music room where English composer Elgar wrote his Cello Concerto and The Kingdom

A historic blue plaque marks the gated entrance to the Berkshire mansion where Elgar composed music. The home belonged to his close friend Frank Schuster, a patron of the arts

+8

A historic blue plaque marks the gated entrance to the Berkshire mansion where Elgar composed music. The home belonged to his close friend Frank Schuster, a patron of the arts

A historic blue plaque by the gated entrance marks his time in the mansion, stating that ‘he often stayed and composed in this house’.

The present resident is Pauline Turner, a humanist celebrant who has been there for five years. Earlier, the home was owned by Miss Van de Weyer, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria who regularly stopped by for afternoon tea.

The sale of the home will likely cause a sit among Elgar fans, who have visited the mansion over the years to see where he worked.

EDWARD ELGAR

Edward Elgar

Sir Edward William Elgar was an an English composer who achieved international fame in the classical music arena.
His best known compositions include the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches concertos for violin and cello.
Born on June 2 , 1857, Elgar was  the son of a music shopkeeper and piano tuner in provincial Worcester, and brought up as a Catholic.
He received practical training as a performer on the violin and other instruments, and taught himself composition.
In Protestant Britain, his Roman Catholicism was regarded with suspicion and he became an outsider.

He did however attain national prominence in 1899 when his ‘Enigma’ Variations premiered in London. His next major work, the oratorio The Dream of Gerontius, quickly became successful in Britain and Germany.
A decade followed which saw the composition of two further oratorios, The Apostles and The Kingdom and a stream of orchestral works culminating in the First Symphony and the Violin Concerto. When his wife died, Elgar, who had been living in London, moved back to the West Midlands.
He was working with renewed energy on an opera and a Third Symphony when he died in 1934.

There was the time when a crew of Norwegian sailors arrived, out of the blue and via the river Thames, dressed in naval costumes.

They sang Rule, Britannia! and staged a trumpet call outside what was the music room , then toasted the moment with shots of schnapps.

As they left the house via the Thames on their rowing barge they raised their oars in salute as they sailed past.

Elgar would sit in the music room, which is now the swimming pool, and compose music that he would perform in front of an audience that included Gabriel Faure, George Bernard Shaw, Dame Nellie Melba, Siegfried Sassoon and Arnold Benett.

Al fresco: A patio overlooks the manicured lawn belonging to the Berkshire mansion which Savills put up for sale today

+8

Al fresco: A patio overlooks the manicured lawn belonging to the Berkshire mansion which Savills put up for sale today

Original: The leaded windows are some of the original features which still remain in the 18th century mansion

+8

Original: The leaded windows are some of the original features which still remain in the 18th century mansion

Roomy: The mansion is known for its high ceilings and open spaces

+8

Roomy: The mansion is known for its high ceilings and open spaces

Open plan: While a new kitchen has been fitted since Elgar's days, the house clearly retains some of the 18th century features such as the leaded windows in the background

+8

Open plan: While a new kitchen has been fitted since Elgar's days, the house clearly retains some of the 18th century features such as the leaded windows in the background

The property, called Long White Cloud, which was owned by Eldgar’s close friend Frank Schuster, was a regular haunt of the legendary composer in the early 20th century.

In 1906 he came up with The Kingdom and, four years later, worked on his Violin Concerto.

The house was named Long White Cloud, which is the Maori name for New Zealand, by a more recent resident, Stirling Moss.

Mr Moss, 84, is a former Formula One racing driver from England.

STIRLING MOSS

Stirling Moss

Stirling Moss, 84, is a former Formula One driver who raced for England. He was a top racer but never quite managed to get it over the line, becoming known as 'the greatest driver to never win the World Championship' by sports commentators.
Moss was raised in Long White Cloud by his father Alfred, who was a dentist, and his mother Aileen.
His sister Pat was also gifted behind the wheel and she became a successful rally driver.
Moss, who raced from 1948 to 1962, won 212 of the 529 races he entered, including 16 Formula One Grand Prix.
He would compete in as many as 62 races in a single year and drove 84 different makes of car over the course of his racing career, including Cooper 500, ERA, Lotus, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Aston Martin, Maserati, Ferrari and Jaguar.
He remained the English driver with the most Formula One victories until 1991 when Nigel Mansell overtook him after competing in more races.
He now lives in West Kensington, London.

It was his family home and he drove his first racing car around the track in the grounds of the property as a boy.

The Mosses owned the home until 1959 and in 1963 the estate was sold and split up into two homes.

Spread across 4,840 sq ft, it has five bedrooms, four reception rooms, an indoor swimming pool and a 32ft drawing room.

It still contains many of the original features including leaded light windows and ornate fireplaces.

Fiona Copeman, an associate director at Savills estate agents, said: ‘Long White Cloud is a historic home set within idyllic riverside gardens.

‘We've had quite a lot of interest in the property and already had six viewings. It is a lovely family home and is in Bray, which didn't flood last year.’

 

 

 

Historical moments go on show and how some notable names rang in the next year

 

Historical moments go on show and how some notable names rang in the next year

King George V being chased by a beggar, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst being arrested and the moment Roger Bannister finished his four minute mile: Fascinating archive of rarely seen photos capturing historical moments go on show

Though the faces are familiar, many of these fascinating stills of some of the most famous people of the twentieth century will not be.

The images - taken from the archives of one of the prestigious photo agencies in the world - show stars and historical figures from across the decades.

Famous moments captured include the day English suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst was arrested, the second Roger Bannister crossed the finish line to complete his record-breaking four minute mile, and King George V being chased by a pauper.

The Getty Images Gallery has selected the images from its Hulton Archive, each telling its own story and forming a wider narrative on the history of photography for its 'Jewels of the Archive' exhibition.

Louise Garczewska, Director, Getty Images Gallery, said: 'Each jewel of the archive has that captivating quality we look for in an image.'

The exhibition is open at Getty Images Gallery in Eastcastle Street, London, until September 4. Entry is free. Fore more information click here.

The king and the pauper: King George V in a horse-drawn carriage at the Epsom Derby, being pursued by a beggar

+6

The king and the pauper: King George V in a horse-drawn carriage at the Epsom Derby, being pursued by a beggar

Shaken, not stirred: English film star Roger Moore, well known for his role as James Bond , downs a martini

+6

Shaken, not stirred: English film star Roger Moore, well known for his role as James Bond , downs a martini

Protest: English suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst (1858 - 1928), is arrested at a demonstration outside Buckingham Palace in London

+6

Protest: English suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst (1858 - 1928), is arrested at a demonstration outside Buckingham Palace in London

Renowned run: Roger Bannister about to cross the tape at the end of his record breaking mile run at Iffley Road, Oxford. He was the first person to run the mile in under four minutes, with a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.

+6

Renowned run: Roger Bannister about to cross the tape at the end of his record breaking mile run at Iffley Road, Oxford. He was the first person to run the mile in under four minutes, with a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.

Dancer Gene Kelly relaxing during a break whilst filming in France in 1966 Spring into life: Actress Audrey Hepburn (1929 - 1993) exercising her dog in Richmond Park in 1950      

Dancer Gene Kelly (left) relaxing during a break whilst filming in France in 1966. Right, actress Audrey Hepburn (1929 - 1993) exercising her dog in Richmond Park in 1950

 

 

 

 

 

When New Year’s Eve rolls around, it’s just as important to be with someone dear when the clock strikes midnight as it is to be in the proper place.These black and white pictures from yesteryear show society’s elite – from stars of the silver screen to painters and everything in between – surrounded by loved ones and plenty of champagne. From Albert Einstein to Betty Hutton to Jane Wyman, these pictures show how some notable names rang in the next year.

Clarke

Roaring 30s: Mae Clarke, a screen and stage star, and her escort, Dr. B. Blank, are seen at their table in the Agua Caliente Hotel in Mexico, during the party on New Year's Eve, attended by scores of the film colony in 1934

Big to do: Joan Bennett, screen star, and Raoul Walsh, director make whoopee at their table in the Agua Caliente Hotel in 1933

Big to do: Joan Bennett, screen star, and Raoul Walsh, director make whoopee at their table in the Agua Caliente Hotel in 1933

Family matters: Joan Caulfield came all the way from the Hollywood to spend the end of 1946 with her parents at Sherman Billingsley's Stork Club, welcoming in 1947

Family matters: Joan Caulfield came all the way from the Hollywood to spend the end of 1946 with her parents at Sherman Billingsley's Stork Club, welcoming in 1947

 

k k      

 

 

Big to do: Betty Hutton, left, of 'Annie Get Your Gun' fame, sees in the New Year with her husband, Ted Briskin, of the Revere Camera Company, at a New York night club in the 1940s; right, radio actress Mercedes McCambridge is ready to welcome 1950 in high style

 

k k      

 

 

Dressed to the nines:  Top hat and cane complete the fancy formal outfit for actress Jayne Mansfield, left, and right, Ellen and Alice Kessler, twin dancing stars of Paris' famed Lido Nightclub, help launch 'Champagne Week 1954' in anticipation of New Year's Eve celebrations

v

Clowning around: Actress Jane Wyman, dressed in a clown suit, is surrounded by confetti during a New Year celebration

 

Albert and Elsa Einstein stand with members of a reception committee on New Years Eve in 1930 Artist Salvador Dali and others patrons celebrate New Year's Eve at New York's El Morocco nightclub in 1950      

 

 

Theory of relativity: Left, Albert Einstein and his wife Elsa in 1930, and right, artist Salvador Dali and other patrons celebrating New Year's Eve at New York's El Morocco nightclub in 1950

hi

Make some noise: Silent film actress and producer Hope Hampton, right, and friends enjoying a New Year's Eve celebration at New York City's El Morocco nightclub in 1949

Royal time: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, right, dance the New Year in at the Sherry Netherlands in 1949

Royal time: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, right, dance the New Year in at the Sherry Netherlands in 1949

k

Good spirit: Comedian Bob Hope and other entertainers board a Constellation at La Guardia Airport in 1954 for the Thule Air Force Base, Greenland, to provide the New Year's Eve entertainment for the men at the base

Help from friends: Accompanying Bob Hope are Anita Eckberg, center, Robert Strauss right; in the 2nd row, Margaret Whiting, left, and Brenda Marshall, right

Help from friends: Accompanying Bob Hope are Anita Eckberg, center, Robert Strauss right; in the 2nd row, Margaret Whiting, left, and Brenda Marshall, right

 

  • Photos taken during the golden age of Italian cinema in the 1950s
  • Stars to appear include Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn
  • Era saw the first paparazzi photographers take to the streets of Rome
  • Marcello Geppetti took some of the most iconic photos of the era
  • Not everyone liked paps: fights between stars and snappers were common
  • Paparazzi named after character in Fellini's 1960 film La Dolce Vita

       

They're the bane of A-listers everywhere thanks to their long lenses and gift for catching a celebrity during moments they would rather the public didn't see but the origin of the paparazzi are more glamorous than the modern incarnation would suggest.

Now a new exhibition is to turn the lens on some of the first paparazzo, who documented the golden age of Italian cinema, provoking outrage from their A-list subjects and adoration from the public who devoured their work.

But it's not all Bieber-style paparazzi dust-ups: The 80 photos set to go on display at the Estorick Collection from 30th April also offer a glimpse of the dolce vita or 'sweet life' enjoyed by Italian movie stars and Hollywood royalty working in Rome during the 1950s and '60s.

Public holiday: Brigitte Bardot surrounded by paparazzi during a holiday in Spoleto, June 1961

+14

Public holiday: Brigitte Bardot surrounded by paparazzi during a holiday in Spoleto, June 1961

The two decades were a golden era in Italian film when directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Federico Fellini produced some of their most famous films, including the latter’s iconic La Dolce Vita (1960). So successful was the Italian film making industry, Hollywood stars such as John Wayne, Charlton Heston, Lauren Bacall and Liz Taylor flocked to Rome, along with directors lured by the comparatively inexpensive Cinecittà studios.

In the Roman studios, some of the biggest films of the age, among them Ben-Hur (1959) and Cleopatra (1963) were shot. 

In the evenings, however, a different type of camera lens took over, with photojournalists with an eye on the bottom line unable to resist the lure of the A-lister packed bars and restaurants that lined the city’s exclusive Via Veneto.

Private moment: Richard Burton and Liz Taylor kissing in Ischia, June 1962 and photographed by Geppetti

+14

Private moment: Richard Burton and Liz Taylor kissing in Ischia, June 1962 and photographed by Geppetti

Arrival: A Geppetti shot of Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren and Vittorio De Sica, arriving at a Rome restaurant in 1961

 

Arrival: A Geppetti shot of Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren and Vittorio De Sica, arriving at a Rome restaurant in 1961

One of the most skillful was Marcello Geppetti, whose photos vividly evoke an era of extraordinary glamour, creativity and decadence.

Geppetti, who died in 1998, eventually amassed an archive of more than a million images, many featuring period heavyweights such as Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn.

And Geppetti was unique in another way too, making the decision early in his career to sell his work to press agencies rather than direct to papers in much the same way that paparazzi do today.

Initially, he was employed by the Meldolesi-Canestrelli-Bozzer agency, then one of the most high-profile of its kind, where he earned a a reputation both for the technical quality of his images and his talent for capturing dramatic, eye-catching moments, before going freelance. 

Ironically, Geppetti made his name with harrowing images of a fire at the Hotel Ambasciatori on Via Veneto: the very street that would later provide him with arresting imagery of a quite different nature, as he travelled along it on his scooter on the lookout for celebrities.

 

Audrey Hepburn, Rome, 1961 Raquel Welch and Marcello Mastroianni at Cinecitta on the set of the movie ¿Shoot Loud, Louder, I do not understand ...¿, 1966      

 

Portrait of a film star: Audrey Hepburn (left) and Raquel Welch and Marcello Mastroianni on set (right)

 

Intimate: Jane Mansfield and Mike Hargitay papped enjoying their supper in Rome, September 1960

+14

Intimate: Jane Mansfield and Mike Hargitay papped enjoying their supper in Rome, September 1960

Ready to work: Rock Hudson and Cary Grant at photographed outside the Cinecittà Studios, June 1961

+14

Ready to work: Rock Hudson and Cary Grant at photographed outside the Cinecittà Studios, June 1961

Suppertime: Richard Burton dining with friends at a restaurant in Trastevere, Rome, June 1963

+14

Suppertime: Richard Burton dining with friends at a restaurant in Trastevere, Rome, June 1963

Many capture moments when, as he put it, 'the ordinary coexisted with the extraordinary’, as in his image of Liz Taylor wandering with a friend through the streets of Cinecittà dressed as Cleopatra, or the actor Mickey Hargitay riding down the Via Veneto on horseback. 

One of his most famous shots is that of Richard Burton kissing Liz Taylor while holidaying in Ischia, a photograph recently listed among the 30 most famous images in history, alongside works by Andy Warhol and Cecil Beaton.

Yet despite the loveliness of his work, the celebrities he photographed considered the behaviour of the paparazzi as intrusive then as they do today. 

Glamorous: Swedish actress Anita Ekberg driving a Mercedes through the streets of Rome in May 1962

+14

Glamorous: Swedish actress Anita Ekberg driving a Mercedes through the streets of Rome in May 1962

Romance: Jane Mansfield and Mike Hargitay leaving Piccola Budapest, Rome, October 1962

+14

Romance: Jane Mansfield and Mike Hargitay leaving Piccola Budapest, Rome, October 1962

Attack: Much like Justin Bieber, Franco Nero, seen here assaulting Rino Barillari at the Trevi Fountain in 1965, was no fan of the paps

+14

Attack: Like Bieber, Franco Nero, seen here hitting Rino Barillari at the Trevi Fountain, was no fan of the paps

One photograph captures the actor Franco Nero in the act of assaulting Geppetti’s fellow paparazzo, Rino Barillari, at the Trevi Fountain, while another series of images show Anita Ekberg in her stockinged feet confronting another paparazzo with a bow and arrow before attacking him with her fists.

While the A-listers they followed loathed them, Geppetti and his ilk produced some of the most iconic images of the 1950s; cementing Hollywood's place in popular culture in the process.

Love them or loathe them, there's no denying that the paparazzo - and the public who adored them - changed the face of photojournalism forever.

The Years of La Dolce Vita begins on the 30th April and runs until the 29th June at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art. For more information, see estorickcollection.com

Glamorous company: Jack Lemmon, Joan Collins and Robert Wagner at Caffè dell¿Epoca, Rome, October 1961

+14

Glamorous company: Jack Lemmon, Joan Collins and Robert Wagner at Caffè dell’Epoca, Rome, October 1961

On set: Assistant cameraman Ennio Guarnieri, Nico Otzak and Federico Fellini on the set of La Dolce Vita, 1960

+14

On set: Assistant cameraman Ennio Guarnieri, Nico Otzak and Federico Fellini on the set of La Dolce Vita, 1960

Star: Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni puffs on a cigarette during filming on the set of La Dolce Vita, 1960

+14

Star: Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni puffs on a cigarette during filming on the set of La Dolce Vita, 1960