Villa Narcissa at sunset, with Catalina Island in the distance
Simon Berlyn
Homes don’t often stay in the same family for generations. But now a southern California estate with a storied history, famous gardens, great architecture and drop-dead gorgeous views is going on the market for the first time since it was built in 1926.
“My grandfather, who was part of the consortium that owned the original 16,000 acres of Rancho Palos Verdes, came here to recover from an illness. He liked it so much that he bought out his partners,” says Narcissa Vanderlip.
“But before he built his home, he commissioned a meteorological study of the land a to find the best site for a house. Here, we are in a perfect little microclimate. The wind is above us, the fog is below.”
Above the front door is one of the house’s many grace notes, a Della Robbia sculpture.
Simon Berlyn
Frank A. Vanderlip Sr., who built the Tuscan-style villa, was a New York banker instrumental in founding the Federal Reserve system and an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President McKinley. He named the property Villa Narcissa, after his wife, Narcissa Cox Vanderlip.
Occupied by four successive generations of the Vanderlipfamily, the magnificent estate now encompasses 11.46 acres. But the 7,700 square foot house, along with its 11 guest cottages, Doric colonnade, cypress allée, tennis court and swimming pool is intact. And, 250 acres of conservation land surround Villa Narcissa, ensuring that its rare privacy and natural beauty will remain intact in perpetuity.
A 500-foot-long allee leads between cypress trees, culminating at a Doric columned temple structure.
Simon Berlyn
Perched high on a bluff, Villa Narcissa is surrounded by terraces and formal gardens designed by the famed Olmstead Brothers. Catalina Island is the dramatic centerpiece of a panoramic Pacific Ocean view. The house was designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style by Frank Vanderlip’s eldest son, Frank Vanderlip, Jr., in association with the prominent Pacific Northwest architect Kirkland Cutter. The walls of the two-story section to the south and east are a foot thick, with storage in each window opening.
A kitchen and butler’s pantry, and the tennis court, were added in 1929.
In 1935, Pasadena architect Hunt Lewis drew up plans for the half-round Doric colonnade at the top at the top of the Cypress Allée, known as “The Temple.” The Cypress Allée is 500 feet long, a great feature of the landscape from above and below.
The large, comfortable living room isoriented towards the view.
Simon Berlyn
Today, the house has nine bathrooms, seven bedrooms, a den, family room, laundry, library, and a main floor bedroom. There is also a home office, sauna, and there are fireplaces in the dining room, family room, library and living room.
The Chinese library is furnished with Asian antiques.
Simon Berlyn
Architectural details include Della Robbia sculptures above the front door, rear terrace and one of the guest cottages, and entry murals by French artist Denis Berteau. The 1,050 square foot playroom, swimming pool and pool facilities were added in 1957, the creation of famed California designer Cliff May.
Colorful fabrics and precious antiques furnish the dining room.
Simon Berlyn
“When you come here, it feels like going back in time in a wonderful way,” says Coldwell Banker’s Jade Mills who, together with Tiffany Mills, is listing Villa Narcissafor $12.995 million.
“It does not happen that a property is in the same family for over 100 years, then comes on the market,” adds Tiffany Mills.
The view from the Doric temple above the Cypress Allee
Simon Berlyn
“This feels like an Italian hilltop villa,” says Narcissa Vanderlip. “The house has always been used for community events, and it makes people happy to be here.”