25-59 Clark Road, Hobsonville, Auckland

Hobsonville's iconic Clark House, completed in 1902 by well-known English ceramics entrepreneur and pioneer RO Clark II as a technological showpiece for his company's transformational products, is offered to the market for the first time in 72 years via the NZ Defence Force, enabling discerning buyers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire an outstanding technological and archaeological example of New Zealand history on approximately 1.935 hectares of prime land.

Built using ground-breaking experimental hollow ceramic blocks made by Clark's adjacent Limeburners Bay earthenware pipe manufacturing plant, the 723 sq metre two-storeyed bay villa with extensive garaging is an outstanding example of ornate Italianate appearance with iron-lace verandas, elaborate internal tiling, pressed metal ceilings, papier mache dado panels of Art Nouveau design and kauri features.

An Historic Places category 1 building, the mansion now needing restoration includes at least ten very large living rooms and bedrooms, along with largely gutted kitchen and bathroom areas, an impressive central curved staircase, decorative feature tiles, stained glass windows, carved fire mantlepieces and a huge annex built in 1969.

One of a very few key survivors of important past industrial and military history, no expense was spared in constructing the mansion, which at one time enjoyed several tennis courts, ornamental gardens and a tunnel which linked it with the manufacturing plant.

It is very rare for a significant property of this kind to be offered to the market in New Zealand. Linked with the Amalgamated Brick and Tile Company-which later developed into Crown Lynn Potteries and then Ceramco, once one of New Zealand 's largest companies -the property is waiting to be immersed by its new owners into the next chapter of its life story.

To download property files please follow the link: https://www.harcourtsfiles.co.nz/listings/L1QC