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Steel Billionaire Lakshmi Mittal Plans Green Mega Estate

Filed under: Green, Wealth

lakshmi mittalSteel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is going green. He's already hard at work on the most expensive estate in Scotland but he's also turning a country estate in southeastern England into a new green palace. The home, Alderbrook Park was built as a country estate during the 19th century but that home was partially demolished and replaced with a less attractive one in the 1950s.

Now Mittal, one of the world's ten richest men, plans to create the ultimate green estate. Plans including using outdoor temperature differences to create natural air conditioning and an ambitious idea to grow enough wood to feed large boilers to provide heating and hot water. Workers at the home will cut down 110 tons of wood a year for the boilers but plant trees to replace them. Solar panels on the roofs of two outbuildings will also provide electricity. Steel tubes will draw cool air from the estate's wooded areas in the summer and in the winter, solar-heated air will be drawn down from the roofs to add additional warmth.

Mittal bought the home for a reported £5.25 million but is expected to spend another £25 million making it conform to his customizations. He will need approval from the local planning authority to develop the estate. The only issue, according to The Telegraph India, may be the preservation of badger habitats on the estate. The badgers are protected and Mittal will need to prove they will not be harmed. The home will have at least 10 bedrooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and underground art gallery, tennis courts and a croquet lawn.

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, The Classicist


As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Antique English Picnic & Games Chest for $34,500

Filed under: Decor


A stunning expanding English mahogany picnic chest and games table is being offered for sale by M.S. Rau Antiques of New Orleans for $34,500. The exquisite piece, made circa 1920, resembles a simple wooden trunk at first glance; with its four legs unfolded however, the top and sides open out to reveal a complete luncheon service for eight, including Sheffield silverplate utensils, bone-handled cutlery, plates and saucers, cups and glasses, kettles and burners for hot water and soup, single and stacked enamel containers, wicker-wrapped glass bottles, ceramic butter pots, silver plated tins, a corkscrew and matchbox.

When the meal is over, the table folds and unfolds again, transforming into a felt-topped card table, perfect for a game with the deck of playing cards which are also included in the fitted compartments. No doubt designed for a wealthy British army officer or aristocrat on safari who wished to sacrifice none of the comforts of home, the impressive example of British Colonial campaign furniture would have been custom crafted to the owner's specifications and transported about by a retinue of servants – the brass fittings highly polished, of course.

The Classicist: The Ultimate Guide to Savile Row Style

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist, Luxury Shopping


When James Sherwood's brilliant book on bespoke tailoring called The London Cut came out in 2007, to accompany a Savile Row exhibition at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, we regretted only that it was in softcover and such a small format. Now Rizzoli has rectified that with a suitably statuesque volume by Sherwood expanding on the subject, lavishly illustrated and encyclopedic in scope. Bespoke: The Men's Style of Savile Row begins with the opening of Henry Poole & Co. in 1806 and follows the illustrious history of London's custom tailoring tradition. Famous adherents of 'The Row' through the years from Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, the Duke of Windsor and Winston Churchill to latter-day dandies like Prince Charles, Mick Jagger and David Beckham are also discussed.

From its rather humble beginnings Sherwood discusses Savile Row's role in tailoring for the sporting set, the military and Royalty, the phenomenal influence the houses have had in the sartorial style of the silver screen - where else would James Bond get his threads? - the Row's evolution as "bespoke" was challenged by the mod rock & roll fashion revolution, and its embrace of fashion-forward newcomers like Tommy Nutter, Richard James and Ozwald Boateng, leading a revival of an art form that looked at one time to be doomed to obsolescence, now flourishing in its 200th year.

The style of each of the street's premier tailors is presented in detail along with the immeasurable impact Savile Row style has had on the work of international designers like Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, and Tom Ford, who contributed a foreword to the book. "English gentlemen's tailoring, and in particular the tailoring of Savile Row, really set the standard for the way the stylish 20th-century man dressed," Ford writes. "This English style, in fact, became the international style for well-dressed men all over the world, and this influence has not waned even in today's more casual world. I suppose that when it comes to men's clothes I am an Anglophile and if I did not design my own men's collection, I would have virtually my entire wardrobe made on Savile Row."

The Launch of Cunard's New Queen Elizabeth Ship

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing


The latest Queen Elizabeth ship, the third generation of ocean liners going back to the late 1930s, was named by the actual Queen Elizabeth Monday in Southampton, England. The $634 million ship, the third and final new vessel to be launched by Cunard in a decade, begins its maiden voyage on Tuesday.

She will be nearly full with her maximum 2,094 passengers. The sailing sold out some 18 months ago in 29 minutes and 29 seconds.

Much has changed since the QE2, which went out of service two years ago and was ignominiously sent to Dubai to function as a hotel. Gone are the ripple-effect ceilings and bachelor-pad brass fittings that made the previous ship the latest in 1970s sophistication.

This iteration, technically the QE3 but called simply the QE like the first in the line, hews closely to Cunard's current design ethic, and in both ethic and size, is largely similar to the Queen Victoria, launched in 2007. Extensive wood paneling, art deco touches, and swooping shapes in the ceiling and balustrades mark the interior.

The Classicist: UK's Elite Meet & Greet at High Net Worth Event

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Charity, Men's Style, The Classicist, Wealth, Architecture & Design


Some of the UK's wealthiest citizens met up recently at Cotswold Airport in the heart of bucolic Gloucestershire to rub elbows while eyeballing the latest in supercars and private jets. The ultra-exclusive Elite 2010 event was organized by Aeronautics Ltd. and the Fine English Company, dedicated to the best in bespoke British luxury. 200 high net worth VIPs were in attendance at the occasion hosted by British Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The event benefited Fly2Help, a charity dedicated to helping those who have suffered disaster, difficulty or tragedy by allowing them to experience the fun and love of flying. We got an inside look at the proceedings thanks to Fine English Co. founder Benedict Wormald.

Aeronautics Ltd. are the UK Sales Representative for Hawker Beechcraft and specialize in the sales, acquisition, management and charter brokerage of private jets. Other participating organizations at Elite 2010 included Aston Martin Racing, the famed British marque's motorsports division; Coutts, the legendary private bankers to the Queen of England and the British Royal Family as well as famed figures from the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens and Lord Nelson to The Beatles; Von Essen Hotels, the private collection of individual country house hotels in the UK and France which includes the famous Cliveden, once home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor; London's The Nth Degree Club Concierge, whose services include event management, private dining, exclusive chef's tables at top London restaurants and personal shopping; PremiAir Aviation; and Affinity Marketing Group.

Gallery: Elite 2010 UK

Magual Polo Tournament Slated for Argentina

Filed under: Events, Sports


Polo season in the Hamptons may be over and done with, but things are just starting to heat up on the sporting scene in Argentina. From November 27 to December 4 the Magual Polo Tournament will take place at the Magual Polo Club at the height of the country's polo season. Located about 45 minutes outside Buenos Aires, Magual is a vast polo complex with several polo fields and 150 horses. It's run by the Di Paola polo playing dynasty, notably Marcos Di Paola, the oldest of three brothers and an 8-goal player who is ranked in the top 20 worldwide among polo professionals. Marcos is a regular on the annual polo circuit that runs from Argentina to Florida to England, Spain and France, and various North American, South American and European teams are expected to compete in the exciting tournament including the Aventus polo team of the famed Creed fragrance company that we wrote about back in June.

Asprey Londoner Luggage by Globe-Trotter

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style


Famed London luxury goods house Asprey has come out with a luxurious new line of luggage created in collaboration with Globe-Trotter, makers of fine travel cases since 1897. The five-piece Londoner Luggage collection, manufactured by hand in England, was designed by Bruce Hoeksema, Asprey's newly appointed creative director. The luggage comes in Asprey's signature royal purple with purple genuine crocodile handles and trim, and matte black with oxidized metallic corners and black crocodile handles and trim. The cases are lined in durable hemp linen with a leather hand stamped Asprey label and signature Asprey locks. The hand stitched crocodile corners were chosen to complement the classic regimental stripe of the removable webbed luggage straps that secure the suitcases.

A Regal Rental: The Royal Yacht Britannia

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing



For those looking for a British royalty tour, there are obvious places across England to visit. But if you want to try something a little different, Edinburgh, Scotland is home to a number of monuments that are rich in royal history. When it comes to recent history, nothing compares to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is now permanently docked in the Port of Leith, Edinburgh.

"Britannia is special for a number of reasons," said His Royal Highness Prince Philip of the yacht, which launched in 1953. "Almost every previous sovereign has been responsible for building a church, a castle, a palace or just a house. The only comparable structures in the present reign is Britannia." Prince Philip attributes Britannia as a prime example of British design and technology of the time. The grand ship played home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for nearly half a century, as well as host to kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers from around the world. World leaders from Sir Winston Churchill to Nelson Mandela to Bill Clinton are all a part of Britannia's gilded maritime heritage.

The ship herself is an intimate glance into the lives of the Royal family, decked out with comfortable casual furniture that recalls more a proper Caribbean estate than Buckingham Palace. The walls throughout are lined with aged family portraits. The State Dining Room is covered with gifts given to Her Majesty from her 968 official state visits all over the world, from rare giant shells to island wood carvings. No less than four royal honeymoons took place on board the Yacht, including that of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. A grand piano sits at the entrance, bolted down to the floor, which Diana herself used to play when greeting guests.


The Classicist: Historic British Polo Estate Cowdray Park for Sale at $38 Million

Filed under: Estates, Sports, The Classicist


Cowdray Park, the country sporting estate famed as the home of British polo, has been listed for sale at £25 million, or about $38 million, in what UK estate agents are calling "the landmark property sale of the decade." The 19th century estate, centered on a 13-bedroom, 44,000-sq.-ft. manor house (above) built circa 1874, is set in 110 acres of parkland with horse paddocks and stables, two lakes, landscaped gardens and a cricket pitch, as well as its own a hamlet of cottages. It also includes the original practice ground where polo was first played in England 100 years ago.

"For anyone keen on polo, this has to be the ultimate property as it literally adjoins the polo club which is the British home of the sport," Edward de Mallet Morgan, of Knight Frank, the agency handling the sale, tells the London Telegraph. The property, situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex, does not include the estate's famous Cowdray Park Polo Club, which hosts 450 matches a year including the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup featuring the world's top players including Prince Harry, however. The mansion features both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wine cellars, tennis courts, and a bowling alley.

The estate's architectural merit matches its illustrious sporting heritage. Stained glass windows, oak, stone and marble fireplaces, ornate cornices, mouldings and period paneling abound. The spectacular great hall has a barrel vaulted ceiling, minstrel's gallery and massive fireplace. The estate's owner, Viscount Cowdray, considered turning it into a luxury hotel, spa and conference center before deciding to sell the historic property after failing to find a suitable business partner for the venture. He is retaining ownership of most of the 16,000 acres of land surrounding the mansion, which includes a ruined castle, a golf club, holiday cottages, farmland and the polo club, however, and plans to move to a smaller house on the property.



De Mallet Morgan has said that there has already been considerable interest in the estate from wealthy Russian, Middle Eastern and Indian prospective buyers. Cowdray Park has been owned by the Cowdray family since 1909 when it was purchased by the engineer and oil industrialist Sir Weetman Dickinson Pearson. The first competitive polo tournaments were recorded at Cowdray in 1910, and by the 1920s a series of competitions with dedicated cups and trophies was firmly established, such as the Coronation Cup, first presented in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V.

The Classicist: Sotheby's to Auction Treasures from Chatsworth, England's Most Famous Country Estate

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Art, The Classicist, Architecture & Design


On October 5–7 Sotheby's will stage what amounts to the world's most luxurious yard sale at Chatsworth (above), England's most famous and beautiful country estate, owned by the the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The treasures on offer include art, architectural elements, furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, and other items – even an antique motorcar – with estimates ranging from £20 to £300,000, or about $30 to $450,000. The sale comprises 20,000 objects in over 1,000 lots which will be on view in a series of marquees on the grounds of the house from October 1st. The several million dollars which the sale is expected to generate will go towards upkeep on the famed estate, which has 126 rooms – including a bathroom with murals painted by Lucian Freud – and sits on over 30,000 acres.

Several of the most magnificent pieces – handsomely carved fireplaces, architraves, doors and shutters - were once part of the fabric of the many great houses that have featured in the Devonshire family's extraordinary history, including Chatsworth itself, Chiswick House, Hardwick Hall, Lismore Castle in Ireland, Compton Place, Bolton Abbey and especially their palatial London residence, Devonshire House – now destroyed but for centuries the centre of the city's social, political and cultural elite. The sale includes works from almost every conceivable area, including books, carriages, glass, collectibles, sculpture, garden statuary, natural history, jewelry, prints, carpets, textiles, tapestries and wine. Some items relate to royalty and others to one of the family's most colorful members, the beautiful and charismatic Georgiana Cavendish, 5th Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), one of the most beloved and influential characters in British history. [continued]

Huge Coin Hoard Found In Britain


One lucky treasure hunter in Britain hit the mother lode. Treasure hunter Dave Crisp was hunting in a field using a metal detector in April when he made an amazing discovery. He found a hoard of around 52,500 Roman coins dating from the third century AD, buried in a field in Frome, England. The coins were buried in a large jar and weighed about 350 pounds. Many of the coins bear the image of Marcus Aurelius Carausius, who seized power in Britain and northern France in the late third century and proclaimed himself emperor. He seized power in 286 A.D. and was assassinated in 293 A.D. The find will help draw attention to this little known historical figure, Britain's own emperor.

When Crisp began digging he unearthed a few coins but did not dig up the whole thing on his own. He wisely enlisted the help of the experts. Archaeologists from the Somerset County Council carefully excavated the jar and its contents. According to a report in the Guardian , archaeologists think they may represent the life savings of an entire community or possibly a votive offering to the gods. Because of the weight of the coins it is guessed that the pot was buried in the ground and then filled up.Part of the coins will be on display at the British Museum from July 22nd through the middle of August. it could take a year to clean up all the coins. If the find is declared a treasure, the value of the coins will be split between the finder and the owner of the land when the coins are bought by the government.

The Classicist: Royal Ascot, Henley, Cowes & the English Summer Season

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Events, Sports, The Classicist

Royal ascot
The English summer season is in full swing with the year's most important and stylish sporting events on the horizon, maintaining the British traditions of horse racing, tennis, rowing, polo and sailing with elegance and ardor. Lord's Test Cricket has passed, but the Royal Ascot races, the Wimbledon tennis championships, Cartier International Polo, the Henley Royal Regatta and the yacht races at Cowes round out a full season's worth of sporting occasions that are as much fun to watch as to participate in. Herewith The Classicist's guide to the best in class (with a tip of the Panama to the London Telegraph); all you need is a pitcher of Pimm's:

Royal Ascot – June 15-19, Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire

Since it was founded by Queen Anne in 1711, the annual Royal Ascot races have become the highlight of the English social season. Ostensibly a five-day sporting event, it's also evolved into something of an immense fashion show, marked by the arrival of the Royal Family in ceremonial horse-drawn carriages every day. It has become the style for ladies to sport increasingly outrageous hats, and lately the traditional rules about "formal day dress" in the coveted Royal Enclosure have been rather loosely interpreted.


The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from Norton MacCullough & Locke

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Norton MacCullough & Locke
In previous columns we've been known to wax nostalgic about the golden age of luxury travel, and the vintage luggage that embodies the glamour and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style. Such exquisitely crafted pieces, like the mysterious bespoke Hermès crocodile suitcases made for Out of Africa author Karen Blixen which we wrote about last week, evoke a time when the journey was as important as the destination and every conceivable creature comfort was taken along for the ride. Not everyone is ready to consign such a stylish mode of sojourning to the past, however. Hence we take pleasure in introducing Norton MacCullough & Locke, a new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury, founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe.

Norton MacCullough & Locke creates individual, hand-crafted pieces in their workshops in England, with the aim of preserving traditional leatherworking techniques and bespoke craftsmanship. Their beautiful pieces feature details such as gold plated locks and hardware, Alcantara linings, precisely fitted removable trays, and engraved mirrors on the inside lids of dressing cases. Designed and made with the finest materials available, the firm's specialist leather, metal and woodworking artisans employ traditional techniques and hand-finishings, ensuring that each piece is unrivalled in its exclusivity, aesthetics and attention to detail. In other words, the sort of luggage suitable to traveling by private jet.

By designing and creating products that are specific to the individual client's aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyle requirements, each Norton MacCullough & Locke piece is truly unique to its owner. Each bespoke order is developed through a series of personal consultations with the client; from concept and design through to personalization and material selection. The firm is continuously developing its extensive range of precious metals, exotic woods and leathers. While bespoke commissions are limited only by the imagination, some of the items they create include jewelry boxes, trunks, hat boxes, suitcases, humidors, watch cases, travel desks, attaché cases, games sets and drinks cases.

How Much Is Stonehenge Worth?


It's not for sale but if it were, England's famous Stonehenge is estimated to cost any potential buyer around £51 million. That number comes from a survey by property website FindaProperty.com that took a survey of 500 estate agents. They evaluated other properties including 10 Downing Street ( £5.2 million) and Windsor Castle (£390.9 million). The Telegraph quotes Nigel Lewis, a property analyst at FindaProperty.com who said that based on these valuations the government and Crown probably own enough land and property to pay down the national debt pretty significantly. The Independent challenges the math a little on Stonehenge questioning whether or not a greater sum could be raised by selling each of the Neolithic monument's megaliths separately to interested collectors. Happily this monument is protected and will remain intact and unsold for generations to come.

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