Posted Dec 16 2022 at 6:01 am
Western decor in Canada
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Want to live in a real western setting? So head for Alberta, a province located in western Canada. At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the Fisher Creek Ranch in Foothills County offers a typical atmosphere of the American West. It is for this authentic aspect that this 194-hectare estate was chosen thirty years ago by Clint Eastwood as the location for the filming of his film. Ruthless (Unforgiven). Here, a Wild West atmosphere is guaranteed! From the saloon to the bank to the sheriff’s office, the jail, the forge and the church, all the elements of a real town of the time are there. And the decor is not cardboard! All these buildings are habitable.
In addition to serving as a set for this feature film whose story takes place in the town of Big Whiskey in Wyoming, this ranch also housed the film crew and its star actors (Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackmann, Morgan Freeman) . A few hundred meters from this reconstituted town, a luxury chalet-style main dwelling develops nearly 1,000 m2. In particular, it houses a cathedral lounge with its horseshoe bar, five bedrooms, a games room and a music room, a workshop, seven fireplaces and a library. This estate also has seven guest lodges. Organized on two levels arriving almost at the height of the trees, these dwellings are accessible thanks to wooden footbridges. Horse lovers will be able to fall for some major facilities: an indoor riding arena, boxes and a veterinary area. In addition to the rolling forests of fir trees, there is a 4.4 hectare lake with its waterfall, its boathouse and facilities in working order to engage in trout farming. Price of this Canadian folly offered for sale by Engel & Völkers Vancouver? 18 million euros.
Forests in portfolio
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At a time of climate emergency and nature preservation, owning a forest is a useful, tangible and meaningful investment. However, as there are few transactions in forest areas in France and they are often prohibitively expensive, some may find what they are looking for by buying shares in a Forestry Investment Group (GFI). It is this type of collective vehicle that Vatel Capital, an asset management company, has been offering for several weeks.
This GFI plans to target the purchase of French massifs of 100 to 150 hectares. “The investment strategy will consist in diversifying the species and the maturity of the shoots, all in various geographical areas, with a desire not to go lower than the north of Auvergne due to global warming and fires. », says Matthieu Lambert, Deputy CEO of Vatel Capital. Already with five forests in its portfolio (Brittany, Auvergne, eastern France), this GFI plans to raise 15 million euros, which will enable it to hold ten to twelve forests within two years. Modest, the return on this investment is around 1.5% per year. However, this real asset offers a 75% reduction on gift and inheritance tax. The recommended holding period is at least six years. The minimum subscription has been set at 1,000 euros per unit.
Flowering of biodiversity funds
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Robeco and Banque Postale Asset Management (LBPAM) have just launched their equity fund dedicated to biodiversity. To build it, Robeco has identified “the main threats causing the decrease in biodiversity (climate change, pollution, intensive agriculture…) in order to invest in companies providing concrete solutions to restore wildlife and wildlife and its entire ecosystem”, explains Nicolas Bénéton, sustainable thematic product specialist at Robeco. For LBPAM, the strategy is in the same vein. The investment universe covers sectors such as sustainable agriculture and food, green buildings, community services (water and waste management) and the circular economy. These vehicles are in addition to the four existing biodiversity funds already on the market.
Companions of duty and Scandinavian design
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One of the last auctions of the year will be held on December 19 in the Parisian premises of the Piasa house. At 3 p.m., a first session will be devoted to the works of the Compagnons du Devoir. Dating from the 19the and the beginning of the XXe century, these lots are for some of the so-called “mastery” objects. “These are scale models made by young craftsmen, carpenters and joiners. These masterpieces crown the end of their training at the end of their tour of France”, explains Thibaud Cardera, auctioneer at Piasa.
From left to right, creations of Compagnons du Devoir: model of a temple, masterpiece of a journeyman carpenter depicting a fully curved staircase, a model of a semicircular niche and two geometric figures.Work
Among these achievements likely to serve as decorative objects, there is a staircase in walnut with a complete French curve (2,000 to 3,000 euros), a monumental door of 90 x 70 cm (1,500 to 2,000 euros) or a frame in bulb shape (3,000 to 4,000 euros). At 5 p.m., the second session will be on the theme “Hygge & scandinavian lighting”. “In Danish, the word hygge means a warm atmosphere. It illustrates the spirit of this sale which offers furniture intended to make a cozy interior », says Elodie Beriola, online sales manager. Nearly 120 lots will be offered, including furniture, glasses, lighting, carpets and ceramics. We retain a lacquered metal firewall (1,500 to 2,500 euros) by Bertil Vallien, eight gilded brass wall lights by designer Pierre Forsell (1,000 to 1,500 euros) and a woven wool carpet dating from the period 1925-1930 by the designer Marta Maa-Fjetterström (6,000 to 9,000 euros).
Financial education for children
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Financial education, it starts at the cradle or almost! In his little illustrated book for 3-10 year olds entitled money management for kids, the author Fabien Piombini addresses toddlers in simple terms with characters that are animals. Thus a dad fox explains to his son Leo and his girlfriend the cat Jade how to properly manage the money they have just earned.
In this story, “Build good habits from the start” will consist in making them understand why it is clever to fill a box with four drawers in which we divide the money to do different things: spend, save, invest and give. To address a serious and even austere subject, this book mixes pedagogy in the form of a comic strip and interactive games at the end of the book. Available in digital or paper version, 30 pages, 7.90 euros.
Unknown modern painters
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Modern and contemporary painters from the Middle East and North Africa are relatively unknown in Europe. This is an opportunity to discover these artists who will be presented on December 19 during a sale of the Millon house in the Trocadéro salons in Paris. “This physical sale will present 78 paintings by confirmed modern artists, living or deceased. After London, these works begin to be sold in Paris. They are highly appreciated by the diasporas of these countries”comments Zahra Jahan-Bakhsh Devinoy, responsible for this sale.
“The Valley”, oil on canvas by Inji Efflatoun (circa 1984), estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 euros.Moataz Helmy/Millon
In this catalog, three emblematic modernist women will be remembered in particular: the Iranian Behjat Sadr (1924-2009) with her oil on metal (70,000 to 100,000 euros) and the Egyptian Gazbia Sirry (1925-2021) with The River and the City (35,000 to 40,000 euros) and Inji Efflatoun (1924-1989) with The valley (15,000 to 20,000 euros).