Legendary Estates Beverly Hills

This deluxe volume offers a meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated history of fifty magnificent estates in three of America’s most prized residential districts: Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holmby Hills.

Lush colour photographs, as well as a trove of historical images, take readers beyond the front gates for an exceptional view of the mansions, grounds, and gardens of these sumptuous estates. The book also tells the history of Los Angeles's rise from rugged paddocks and farmland to a famed metropolis.

Each house is explored both for its historical and architectural importance, showcasing the epitome of residences and gardens that reflect the famed Italianate and California Mediterranean styles. This exploration includes works by all the leading architects of Southern California, such as Wallace Neff, James Dolena, Gordon Kaufmann, Robert Farquhar, Roland Coate, and Paul Williams.

These architects built for notable clients like Gary Cooper, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Bing Crosby, whose own stories reflect the intrigue and foibles of Hollywood society.

The book’s final chapter, Gone but Not Forgotten, pays homage to great estates that have been destroyed or lost to history.