Oh, if these walls could talk, the stories they would tell! They would tell stories of a wealthy eccentric produce farmer w/exquisite taste who traveled the world with top designers to source the finest materials & finishes and hand select the most beautiful antique pieces of furniture to complement and complete this magnificent work of art, ''Villa De La Dolce Vita''. It is a home from a bygone era where quality, craftsmanship & refined elegance were paramount & its design & architecture, timeless. It has hosted countless social events w/Old Hollywood celebrities, politicians & socialites from around the globe & it was nothing out of the ordinary to come home and find John Wayne sitting at the dining room table. Five generations of this deeply rooted Arizona family have Called Villa De La Dolce Vita home since the 1940's and although formal & extravagant by its design and sheer size, it still retains that unique sense of casual elegance and exudes class, charm & good energy from the moment you enter the 200+ year old iron entry gates from Italy. Originally, this home started out its life on "Banker's Hill" in the late 1800's and was a bit more modest one could say. As the family expanded operations in Nogales, the decision was made to remodel & add "a little square footage". World renowned San Francisco based architects, Charles Porter & Bob Steinwedell were commissioned for the job and worked alongside "The Best Decorator in the United States" according to Time Magazine, Michael Taylor, known for creating "The California Look" & who had the incredible vision for the project & delivered a true masterpiece that still to this day is unrivaled. Even though there was no budget put on the project, Michael Taylor far exceeded it & it was worth every dime. There simply is no other home in Arizona or perhaps the entire US that can rival the design or sense of scale of this magnificent European inspired Estate- one that rivals the finest mansions in Beverly Hills or estates in Montecito. Once inside the lush and beautiful courtyard, you will feel the mystical atmosphere greet you & think you have just arrived in the south of France or a small village in Italy. Ancient tile mosaics dating back to the beginning of Christianity adorn patio walls and ancient baptismal tubs accentuate the gardens- irreplaceable and priceless treasures found on one of many shopping trips to Europe with Michael Taylor. The grand entry foyer leads to the library, one of Taylor's finest rooms, plastered in light terra cotta walls accentuated by antique oak parquet floors from Versailles and a hand-carved amethyst marble Louis XV fireplace mantel. The living room filled with exquisite antiques from around the globe has several seating areas to choose from depending upon the size of the crowd being hosted & features polished concrete floors, exposed rustic beams, an exquisite fireplace & two beautiful antique French chandeliers. From there you enter the stately dining room w/6 sets of French Doors opening onto two private terraces, a stone fireplace from Italy dating back to the 4th century ad, a 17th century English oak dining table and chairs for 24 of your closest friends and favorite family & an antique chandelier from France. After dinner work your way to the most extravagant pool Pavilion with an absolutely stunning Italian marble floor, a large fireplace accentuated above by a priceless antique Venetian mirror & exquisite chandelier from Paris centered in the room. Custom Moroccan shutters over three sets of 10' French doors lead out to the sparkling pool and grotto. Lush European gardens w/stone walkways lead to a bamboo Zin & Yoga garden w/a soothing fountain and serves as a backdrop to a magnificent tennis complex, nestled into the hillside just below the house. Some of Hollywood's biggest names have played tennis at Dolce Vita over the years and it hosted the annual Pulitzer tennis tournament for many years. Back inside and upstairs, you will find 3 spacious primary suites all with extravagant marble bathrooms, French antique parquet floors, marble fireplaces and private patios overlooking the lush gardens below. 7 guest suites all w/ private updated bathrooms, an elevator & a true Epicurean kitchen w/commercial Viking stove & stainless appliances, complete with prep kitchen & butler's pantry. A charming 2 bedroom 2 bathroom guest house dating back to the late 1800's is a blank slate for the next owner to restore and bring back to life- just like Uncle Jimmy did to the main house. Located in the heart of Nogales, parking is a breeze with a private gated motor court large enough to park 10 cars & a covered parking area off the front courtyard that can accommodate 3 cars. Fly into Nogales International Airport Executive Terminal only 10 min away or Tucson International Airport exactly 55 min from Nogales. This home is being offered fully furnished- truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy one of the finest homes ever constructed, filled with a priceless collection of fine European & Spanish Colonial Antiques, Signature Michael Taylor designed furniture and accessories from around the world that took decades and millions of dollars to amass. List of available furniture that can be purchased on separate BOL outside of the sale and exclusion list available by request. Home is being sold UN-FURNISHED for $2,600,000. And UNFURNISHED doesn't mean you miss out on the many collectables that are part of the home and the UNFURNISHED PRICE. The Pavilion for example has an English Gold Mirror valued at $125,000 and an imported Chandelier valued at $140,000. The dining room has a chandelier valued at $75,000 along with another room with a $35,000 chandelier that stays with the property. There's a pair of silver chandeliers valued at $40,000 and a pair of antique wall brackets valued at $20,000. Upstairs there's a $12,000 antique 18th century mirror over the fireplace and a Venetian mirror in a bedroom valued at $3500. We can say with confidence that there's approximately $600,000 in antiques and valuables staying with the property because they are now part of the property and are included in the UNFURNISHED price. You must see to believe what you're getting so reward yourself with a viewing!! With $1.5 million down owner will carry balance at very reasonable interest rate.

Listing courtesy of Russ Lyon Sotheby's International



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