Check out this house

Wow. I had no idea there was anything like this fabulous mid-century house in M/SO. 


The house was originally built by a man named Kessler.  He bought either two or three houses and tore them down to have land for this house.  He was a textile dealer and spent a lot of time in the Far East (as it was then called). the furniture was custom built for the house and the fabrics were custom woven for the furniture.  

It was on either the first or one of the first Rotary house tours in Maplewood. I remember it well because I had been dying to see the house and I knew it would be the only way I could see it.   



I can picture the Rat Pack hanging out at the bar swirling ice cubes in their glasses of scotch.


Amazing! Looks like a hotel or conference center, though. Love the architecture. $52K a year for taxes...


It's a steal at $2,999,000.  Zillow estimate is $3.2 mllion.


steel said:
I can picture the Rat Pack hanging out at the bar swirling ice cubes in their glasses of scotch.

 I agree with you, but only because it looks like living in a hotel lobby.  Like this -

marylago said:
Amazing! Looks like a hotel or conference center, though. 

 


I was told the original owner built some crazy expensive tree house.  And his money came from the textiles industry, specifically selling Rags.  


There is also a house on Fairview or Sagamore in Millburn that was a playboy mansion.  Not "the playboy mansion" but a house where a bunch of Playmates lived.  Had a pool, bar, and I believe it was painted pink.  

So I have heard.  oh oh 


EricBurbank said:
I was told the original owner built some crazy expensive tree house.  And his money came from the textiles industry, specifically selling Rags.  


There is also a house on Fairview or Sagamore in Millburn that was a playboy mansion.  Not "the playboy mansion" but a house where a bunch of Playmates lived.  Had a pool, bar, and I believe it was painted pink.  
So I have heard.  oh oh 

I have been to that house on Sagamore.  


mikescott said:
I have been to that house on Sagamore.  

 And ...?


The pink house was always talked about as a good place to hit on Halloween - never did go - but I think they gave out full sized candy bars.  grin


I love this house and am jealous of anyone who got a tour! it is rumored to be a Frank Lloyd Wright 'plan' done by his last wife and the furniture and accessories are to be part of the deal.  Not to thread drift but there is another FLW house in Glen Ridge on the market !  now to go and win a big lottery!



Cool article about the house from The NY Times in 1981:

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/25/nyregion/new-jersey-housing-for-sale-little-home-of-13-rooms.html

"The house is the work of John Rattenbury, the architect, and two interior designers, John Hill and Mrs. Frank Lloyd Wright of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. It has drawn little attention in the past largely because Mrs. Kessler and her late husband, Daniel, a clothing retailer, passionately guarded their privacy."


Is it constantly falling apart like Wright's other houses?


I saw the Kessler house when it was on the market before. Its interior is just too brown for me,all wood interior everywhere. Certainly easy upkeep. It's beautiful in its own way but definitely not for everyone.    


What's up with the "Unit 19" in the Zillow page?


Ok check out picture 15 of 25. It's a picture of one of the bathrooms, and it's looking right at a mirror. 

Where is the photographer?


Effect that lets you erase and replace parts of a photo.  I love there is only one television shown in the pictures.


us2innj said:
Effect that lets you erase and replace parts of a photo.

 Yes I get that.

It took me a minute to figure out what I was looking for. And if I look at it in a certain way I think I can see where they erased the photographer. 

I reminds me of the house the Parr family moves into in the second Incredibles movie.


yahooyahoo said:
Cool article about the house from The NY Times in 1981:
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/25/nyregion/new-jersey-housing-for-sale-little-home-of-13-rooms.html

"The house is the work of John Rattenbury, the architect, and two interior designers, John Hill and Mrs. Frank Lloyd Wright of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. It has drawn little attention in the past largely because Mrs. Kessler and her late husband, Daniel, a clothing retailer, passionately guarded their privacy."

if they got the $1.25MM asking price back in '81, that makes the current $3MM price a bargain.  In constant dollars, $1.25 million would be more than $3.5 million in 2019. grin


us2innj said:
Effect that lets you erase and replace parts of a photo.  I love there is only one television shown in the pictures.

 if you can afford this house, you can afford one of these:



jfburch said:
What's up with the "Unit 19" in the Zillow page?

The property is listed as 15-19 Tower Dr. I assume it's just a way to add both addresses. 

https://tax1.co.monmouth.nj.us/cgi-bin/m4.cgi?district=0711&l02=071100006__0100101_________M


marylago said:
The property is listed as 15-19 Tower Dr. I assume it's just a way to add both addresses. 
https://tax1.co.monmouth.nj.us/cgi-bin/m4.cgi?district=0711&l02=071100006__0100101_________M

 Ah.  Makes sense.  Thanks.



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