Liberace Mansion opens doors to fans

Owner Martyn Ravenhill welcomes nearly 30 visitors

“Aah!” “This is gorgeous!” “I can’t believe I’m actually here!”

These were the expressions of Liberace Facebook fan club members passing by the grandiose curved staircase of the Liberace Mansion last week. The nearly 30 visitors who traveled from far and near share a deep appreciation for iconic piano virtuoso Liberace and were excited to tour the first floor of his part-time, 14,393-square-foot residence at 4982 Shirley St.

Wladziu Valentino Liberace (19191987) created this home south of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the mid-1970s by connecting two smaller homes into the biggest one on the block and designing an interior reflective of his glitzy, opulent persona.

For most fan club members, it was their first time walking into their beloved entertainer’s former home. Most had only seen photographs and news reports of its glory days of glitz and glamour when Liberace was alive, its deterioration when it went into foreclosure in 2013, and then its extensive renovation and restoration by current owner Martyn Ravenhill.

Ravenhill greeted the busload of fans one-by-one with his English accent. Many knew Ravenhill’s story. He is the U.K. businessman and Liberace fan who bought the mansion for $500,000 in summer 2013 after seeing the dilapidated home on YouTube. He invested well over three times that amount in making the home structurally sound, filling in sinkholes and restoring and renovating its unique interior and exterior.

In March 2016, the Liberace Mansion received the first Clark County Historical Designation by the Clark County commissioners. The historical designation brings accessory uses to the single-family residence like private fan club tours, charity fundraisers and private events.

The fan gathering was not happenstance.

“We started planning this a year ago, and it’s been years since we have all gotten together,” said Gerald White from North Carolina, who organized the three-day get-together with Hilde Lindstrom from Pennsylvania and Karen Libby of Las Vegas.

“This is a perfect way to pay tribute to Liberace, his music and his legacy. We hope that Liberace’s lega-

PHOTOS BY TONYA HARVEY/REAL ESTATE MILLIONS U.K. businessman and Liberace fan Martyn Ravenhill bought the showman’s home in 2013 for $500,000. Ravenhill said he has spent three times that much in making the home structurally sound, filling in sinkholes and restoring and renovating its unique...