Everything must go! Entire contents of £300million super-mansion including gold-plated bins and jewel-encrusted bathroom suites on sale after 45-bedroom Hyde Park home fails to sell
- Mansion once owned by Saudi prince and Lebanese prime minister went on the market for £300million in 2012
- But house near Hyde Park in London has failed to sell and now its entire contents will be auctioned off
- Items up for grabs include chandeliers, bathrooms, gold-plated bins and tissue boxes, plus kitchen equipment
- There is no guide price for items on sale so pieces worth thousands could go for far less
The
entire contents of a billionaire's mansion formerly owned by a Saudi
prince and a Lebanese prime minister is up for sale after the 45-bedroom
property failed to sell.
Three
years ago, super-mansion 2-8a Rutland Gate near Hyde Park was put on
the market for £300million after the death of owner Sultan bin
Abdulaziz, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
But
the house, thought to be the largest single family home left in London,
failed to sell and now everything inside it is up for grabs at auction -
including bidets covered in semi-precious jewels and gold-plated
waste-paper bins.
Everything must go! The entire
contents of this £300million mansion near Hyde Park is being sold at
auction, with the 1,252 lots including jewel-encrusted bathroom suites
and gold-plated bins
Luxurious: The contents of the house's
numerous bathrooms can be bought, including Baldi baths which are worth
thousands of pounds
Not to be sniffed at: The gold-plated
tissue boxes are being sold off in lots of two, three, or four boxes so
buyers can add a touch of luxury to their own homes
A touch of class: These waste-paper bins are coated in 24-carat gold, making even throwing things away a luxurious process
Incredible collection: The entire home was furnished by renowned interior designer and photographer, Alberto Pinto
Need a lie down? This vast bed is up for sale, as are the others currently housed in the mansion's 45 bedrooms
Also
on offer among the 1,252 lots are no fewer than 41 chandeliers, more
than 100 gold-plated tissue holders and a number of vintage perfume
bottles, plus more every day items such as espresso machines, washing
machines and cooking pots.
None
of items up for sale have been given guide prices, which means the
luxurious Baldi bathtubs, worth thousands of pounds could sell for far
less.
'It's a
fantastic house. It is quite awe-inspiring,' said Mark Flynn, principal
auctioneer at ProAuction Ltd, which is handling the huge sale.
'You look at it and you are just surrounded by beautiful furniture and decoration and the only word you can use it just "wow".
'You
just don't imagine that level of quality and craftsmanship in a private
house. There has been no expense spared, and it really does show.
'And we've got to sell it all. There is absolutely no reserves or withholding prices on this stuff. It has got to sell.
Suitable uses: The auctioneers believe
the sale will attract hoteliers eager to give their guests a taste of
the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by the mansion's previous owners
Huge discounts: There is no reserve
price for any of the items, and Mark Flynn, principal auctioneer at
ProAuction Ltd, says of the pieces 'if we get offered a fiver, we get
offered a fiver'
Sparking interest: This French Louis
XV Pompadour antique fireplace, finely carved in Italian Bardiglio black
veined blue grey marble and cast back panels is one of the prized items
up for sale
Making an
entrance: These iron doors have a central mirror panel and bespoke cast
window grill design which opens independently from the door so it can be
easily cleaned
Precious: This pair of glass partition
sliding doors have a dore bronze metal frame structure, while the glass
is decorated in an neoclassical design with gold leaf
'There
are quite a lot of decorative items like Baldi vases, and there are
Baldi vases in that property which they still sell at Harrods which
would cost you £30,000 and our policy at auction is always that it
sells.
'If we get offered a fiver, we get offered a fiver.
'For
anybody that is refurbishing an apartment or a house - or even a
boutique hotel - the bargains they could pick up here for fractions of
its original price.
'You
and I ordinarily wouldn't get a chance to buy any of this stuff - it
would be way out of our price range - but you can come along to this
auction it allows you to buy it for peanuts.'
The auction is currently taking place online, and there will be a two-day sale at a hotel in Knightsbridge next month.
On the market: Super-mansion 2-8a Rutland Gate near Hyde Park was put up for sale for £300million in 2012, but failed to sell
Eye-watering: More than 100
gold-plated tissue boxes, such as this one, are on sale and there is no
reserve price for any of the items
Opulence: The bathrooms have been
'decorated with such semi-precious stones as malachite, amethyst
together with precious metals such as bronze gold and silver'
Light up a room: Also on offer among the 1,252 lots are no fewer than 41 chandeliers, including these two stunning versions
Crystal clear: This dining ware and
table are under offer, so you could replicate this stunning dinner party
setting in your own home
A place to study: There is plenty of
space at this large wooden desk to spread out documents, and the
accompanying lamps, chair and curtains are also on sale
Life of luxury: In the 1990s, the entire property was furnishedAlberto Pinto as part of a two-and-a-half year refurbishment
In
the 1990s, the entire property was furnished by celebrated Paris-based
photographer and interior designer Alberto Pinto's company during a
two-and-a-half year refurbishment.
Pinto's
eponymous company - which usually kits out luxury yachts and planes -
spent from 1992 until 1994 working on the house, curating pieces from
all over the world.
The
firm also did some redecoration - estimated to have cost a total £50
million - in the late 90s or early 2000s, but very few items have been
added since then.
Designers
had sourced a number of luxury items for the house including Barovier
& Toso, Laudarte, Valderamobili, Baccarat, Christofle and Baldi Home
Jewels - all of which are on sale, as are entire contents of the Baldi
bathrooms, 'decorated with such semiprecious stones as malachite,
amethyst together with precious metals such as bronze gold and silver'.
The items inside the house are thought to be worth £50million, but it is hoped that the auction will raise at least £450,000.
Seating options: The auction is
currently taking place online, and there will be a two-day sale at a
hotel in Knightsbridge next month
Artwork: The paintings which adorn the
mansion's walls might ordinarily sell for thousands, but can be snapped
up for 'peanuts' at next month's auction
Precious metals: Millions of pounds
worth of gold leaf are thought to adorn the internal decor of the house,
which is only slightly smaller than a football pitch
Mr Flynn said he would be 'disappointed' if the entire two-day sale brought in less than £500,000.
Among
his favourite items are a Barovier and Toso Murano glass chandelier
which would have cost £60,000 - but will likely go for between £1,500
and £2,000.
He
also likes a five metre long Persian Nain carpet with wool and silk
highlights. It would have cost £60,000 and will probably sell for around
£3,000.
A lot of four 24-carat gold-plated waste-paper bins - which cost £420 each - are estimated to go for as little as £10 to £15.
He added: 'All of the furniture is immaculate, but some of it looks like it has never been used. It is in showroom condition.
'We
are very privileged to go to these places. You go in and it is quite
inspiring to see how luxurious it is, but not only that, but how
immaculate it is.
'This place is all immaculate and everything is in its rightful place.
'The
bathrooms all of the fittings - the baths, the shower hoses and the
like - are all gold-plated and all got semi-precious stones in them.
'It's got a combination of Jade and Onyx, and there is some Opal in it as well.
'If you went to order a bath, on it's own, from the manufacturer it would cost you £300,000.
'The
design work and specification is mind-boggling. They are not brass taps
you get down Homebase - they are gold-plated and all decorated with
jewels.'
The
London residence was discreetly offered for sale for £300million in
2012, following Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
It
had been given as a gift to the prince following the death of former
owner Rafiq Hariri, the former prime minister of Lebanon and billionaire
tycoon, who was assassinated by a huge bomb in Beirut, the Lebanese
capital, in 2005.
Luxury property: The house, which was
originally built as four separate houses, is thought to be the largest
single family home left in London, and is only slightly smaller than a
football pitch
Dressing table to impress: This gold plated dressing table would add a touch of luxury to any bedroom or dressing room
Sale of the century: The items in this
bedroom would normally cost hundreds but could potentially be snapped
up for just a fraction of their original price
Vast project: Interior designers
sourced a number of luxury items for the house including Barovier &
Toso, Laudarte, Valderamobili, Baccarat, Christofle and Baldi Home
Jewels
Up for grabs: Last week, agents Swiss
Group put the house on the open market, including property website
Zoopla where is is described as: 'A unique property and possibly the
most expensive on the market'
Grand designs: Pinto's eponymous
company - which usually kits out luxury yachts and planes - spent from
1992 until 1994 working on the house, curating pieces from all over the
world
Untouched: The firm also did some
redecoration - estimated to have cost a total £50 million - in the late
90s or early 2000s, but very few items have been added since then
Current owners: Land Registry
documents show the house, on Rutland Gate, is currently owned by Yunak
Corporation, a company once run by Mr Hairi and based in the one-time
tax haven of Curaçao, in the Caribbean
Pristine: Much of the furniture on sale has never been used and is described as being in 'showroom condition'
Proceeds: Auctioneer Mark Flynn said he would be 'disappointed' if the entire two-day sale brought in less than £500,000
Not for any old rubbish: The
waste-paper bins, one which can be seen in the right of this photograph,
have been plated with 24 carat gold
Land
Registry documents show the house, on Rutland Gate, is currently owned
by Yunak Corporation, a company once run by Mr Hairi and based in the
one-time tax haven of Curaçao, in the Caribbean.
Originally
built as four separate family houses, the grand seven-storey,
stucco-fronted residence runs from 2-8A Rutland Gate, Knightsbridge.
The
60,000sq/ft living space - only slightly smaller than a football pitch -
includes a large swimming pool, industrial-size catering kitchen,
underground parking and several lifts.
Millions
of pounds worth of gold leaf are thought to adorn the internal decor,
and the windows of the house, of which 68 face towards Hyde Park, are
thought to be bullet proof.
It is less than half a mile from luxury department store Harrods and only a short drive to Battersea’s heliport.
However,
it has failed to sell and last week agents Swiss Group put it on the
open market, including property website Zoopla where it is described as:
'A unique property and possibly the most expensive on the market.
Former
owners: The house was owned by Rafiq Hariri (top), the former prime
minister of Lebanon and a billionaire tycoon. It was then given
to Sultan bin Abdulaziz (bottom), the crown prince of Saudi Arabia
Craftsmanship: Many of the items have
never been used, and everything is up for sale from the ornate
hand-carved doors, to the gold-plated taps and antique furniture
Living standards: No expense has been spared in decorating the vast home and its numerous reception rooms, such as this one
Glittering: Some of the chandeliers up
for sale cost as much as £60,000 when new - but will likely go for
between £1,500 and £2,000
Dream designs: This vast bed, and designer bedside tables could be yours - providing you have a big enough bedroom to put it in
'Comprising 45 bedrooms with extensive views over Hyde Park. Unarguably in one of London's most prestigious locations.'
The
property is listed as 'price on application', and the advertisement
adds: 'For further information, prospective purchasers need to forward
brief background details of individual and/or company as we are
instructed on a strict non-disclosure agreement to disclose information
prior to receiving the prerequisite.'
In 2011, a 300-year-old country house which backs on to the River Thames near Henley, Oxfordshire sold for £140million.
The
Grade II-listed Franco-Italianate mansion was sold by developer Michael
Spink in an off-market deal with an unidentified Russian buyer in
August 2011.
In 2011, a mansion with cottages and a boat house, backing on to the River Thames in Henley, Oxfordshire, sold for £140million.
Since
then, properties have been put on the market for a higher price but are
believed not to have been sold as there are so few buyers with the
funds available to buy such properties.
Property consultant Charles McDowell told the Guardian
that the reason the house had not yet sold was down to the fact 'that
the right buyer hasn’t come along', and suggested the sale of its
content could be a 'tidying up operation'.
'Once
you get in that rarified space [at the top of the market] you have to
wait for that person to come along. It doesn't mean that the house is
not a good house or the price is not a correct price.'
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