Ivor Braka, a London art dealer, has sold his Knightsbridge home/private galleries of thirty years. He is now moving to a mansion just across the road. It is estimated that it could be worth more than GBP60 million. The maverick collector who filled his Cadogan Square red-brick home with paintings and sculptures by artists like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud will soon move his treasure trove and designer furniture to an elegant Grade II-listed mansion. It is also located on Cadogan Square. The Queen Anne revival-style home was abandoned for many years. Mr Braka plans to restore the property and convert it from two apartments into one home. This could increase its value by up to GBP60million based on the current average price per square foot at the exclusive address. The home, which is currently divided, has opulent interiors, including oak panelling, a striking neoJacobean staircase, and stained glass windows. WireImage. Mr Braka plans to restore the building instead of modernizing it. I like to keep a place’s original style. You can’t take away the character of places like these, so if it doesn’t suit you, you won’t buy it. He said, “I’ve lived in my house for 30 years, but it was nice to try something new. The house at number 52 was the first place I visited and I fell in love. The property has a rich history and was originally designed by Sir Ernest George in 1886 to accommodate Sir Thomas Andros de la Rue (chairman of the De La Rue banknote printing company). It was later purchased by Vernon Tate, Tate & Lyle sugar tycoon and owner of the De La Rue banknote printing empire, for GBP16.5million. This is the most expensive home in London – from mega mansions and skyscraper penthouses. The group was granted permission to convert the buildings from serviced apartments back into one mega-mansion, but this work was never done. Cadogan Estates’ 2015 designs demonstrated how the properties could become 20,000 square feet of accommodation, with a lift connecting all floors. Houses on Cadogan Square typically sell for between GBP2,000 to GBP3,000 per square foot — potentially giving number 52 a GBP60million price tag. Today, Mr Braka’s art collection can be found in two places: his London home and one his pubs in Norfolk. He renovated The Gunton Arms in London, an 18th-century pub situated in a 1,000-acre deer park. It is now filled with artworks by Tracey Emin as well as Damien Hirst.
Related Posts
