A Sydney property that once hosted classical music royalty and housed as many as five grand pianos is now listed for a stunning increase on its last sale price.
The four-bedroom home on Station St, Newtown, is listed for auction with a guide of $4m.
It was bought by Robert Mitchell and his late partner Denis Condon back in 1970.
They met as music teachers, with Dr Mitchell going on to sing in the chorus for Opera Australia and achieving a PhD in music, while Mr Condon became one of the leading figures in the world of piano rolls.
Denis Condon’s piano collection at their Newtown home.
Mr Condon built a collection of piano rolls spanning some 7540 pieces, a gallery which is now on display at Stanford University.
Following his passing in 2012, Limelight called Mr Condon “The world’s leading authority on piano rolls.”
Mr Condon’s collection of rolls and pianos was a major factor in the type of home they were looking to buy back in the 70s.
“Because my partner had a collection of pianos and piano rolls, we needed an old house where we could create a space for up to five pianos in the one room, while still having room for people to listen to the piano rolls being played,” Dr Mitchell said.
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Forty-seven Station St, Newtown is listed for a guide of $4m.
This led them to Newtown, then a very different suburb to what it is now.
“It certainly wasn’t a vibrant suburb then,” Dr Mitchell said.
“Everyone was buying up in Paddington at the time.”
They bought the home for $17,000, offering the previous owner an extra $500 if he was out of the home by May so they could start renovating.
“Back then there were several rooms that were uninhabitable,” Dr Mitchell said.
“So there was a lot of work to be done.”
According to the RBA’s inflation calculator, $17,000 in 1970 was equivalent to about $241,173 in spending power last year.
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Mr Condon’s pianos being moved into the property back in the 1970s.
Following renovations, the matter of moving in meant having to crane in Mr Condon’s pianos.
“Seeing the big Yamaha being delivered was pretty special,” Dr Mitchell recalled, “a crane brought it in over the balcony.”
Under the ownership of Dr Mitchell and Mr Condon, the home became a hub for musicians from near and far.
“People from around the world came to hear my Denis’ pianos,” Dr Mitchell said.
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The home has hosted opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland, the first Australian to win a Grammy Award. Picture: Opera Australia.
Among the most famous of their house guests were opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland and her husband Richard Bonynge.
Dr Mitchell’s personal favourite guest was American conductor Aaron Copland, who composed ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ and ‘Appalachian Spring’.
“He’s the father of modern American music,” Dr Mitchell said.
“That was very, very special to me.”
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The property has kept with the times thanks to Mr Mitchell’s tireless maintenance and renovations over the years.
Selling agent David Barndon of The Agency called the home “a landmark in the area.”
“I’ve walked past the home for many years and been intrigued,” he said.
“I was quite chuffed when the opportunity came in; it’s a very well-known property.”
As something of a Newtown landmark, Mr Barndon said the home had attracted “a fair bit of interest” from locals.
“Certainly interest has come from people that are looking to upsize into something bigger.
“We get a lot of buyers in the area that are getting to the point where the size of their home is no longer accommodating their family.”
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The home also once hosted composer Aaron Copland, one of the pioneers of American music. Picture: Flickr.
Mr Barndon added that the home had been “impeccably looked after” over the years, allowing it to garner strong interest despite being an old home.
Dr Mitchell is now downsizing to a unit in Camperdown, where maintenance will be less of an issue.
“I’ve just turned 78,” he said.
“I want to spend my money on travel and not having to keep up with renovations.”
Forty-seven Station St, Newtown goes under the hammer on November 22.
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