With the NSA located nearby, the area is known for having some experts in stealth. The estate of one executive shows how these professionals often take work home.
Tag: estates
Rare Baltimore Desk Fetches Over Half-Million Dollars at Christie’s
Courtesy Citybizlist – A rare Federal desk and bookcase, presumed to be Baltimore 1800 – 1810, was estimated to sell for $150,000 to $300,000 at Christie’s Important American Furniture sale on September 25th. In fact, the satinwood-inlaid, Verre Eglomise (reverse-painted glass) mahogany cylinder desk realized $567,750.
More History to GSV Estate Mensana
We received last week the following email regarding Mensana, the fallen Green Spring Valley estate that we and our friend Pigtown Design blogger Meg Fielding have written about. The writer, Serena Black Martin, is the great grand daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Jackson, who owned the estate for over 40 years. With Serena’s permission, we are sharing the email and a small sample of her lovely photographs of the house in its glory days. Serena has agreed to write a history of the house for the Baltimore Fishbowl. Look for it in the coming weeks!
I have noticed over the last few months that you have had articles regarding Mensana. The latest today, titled, “Inside Creepy Mansion Mensana.”
This house has a very special meaning to me because it was the home my great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Jackson, for over forty years. It was known as Venture then and the 300 plus acre property spanned either side of Greenspring Valley Road. There were beautiful barns, tenant houses, ice ponds, and endless riding trails.
In 1932, the Jacksons bought the home directly next to them and gave it to my grandmother, Catherine Jackson and my grandfather, Gary Black, as their wedding present. It was named Adventure, and they added it to the estate. I now live in Adventure and so I am very concerned what will become of Venture.
I have wonderful photographs of parties etc. that show the splendor of the home and its true beauty. Maybe people can look past the creepiness of it today and see that it could be spectacular once again.Regards,Serena Black Martin
Venture
Real Estate Gossip: Cliffeholme Sells, Stemmer House’s New Owners, Tony Foreman’s New Restaurant’s Opening Date
We learned over the weekend that Cliffeholme, the historic mansion in the Greenspring Valley that we wrote about in August, sold last Friday. Still no word on the identity of the new owners. But we did finally find out the identity of the new owners of Stemmer House, the 27-acre, three-building, two-pond, six-garden estate, also in the Greenspring Valley, that we wrote about in May. It sold to the CEO of Lion Brothers, an old Baltimore embroidery company. Our source tells us that the family has established a close relationship with former owner Barbara Holdridge, who lived in the house for over 35 years, and is working closely with her to make sure every change is done with the utmost care. Sounds like they are up to the task of caring for and preserving this lovely, cherished Baltimore County property.
Lastly, Tony Foreman’s new restaurant in Roland Park, originally slated to open at the end of the year, will not open until mid-March, we are told. Residents’ concerns — although not from the RP homeowners’ association — have delayed the project, but it is still on track to open, just a little later than anticipated.
