Re: help me an idea of a budget audiophile

On 6/5/2025 11:15 AM, Rolf Mantel wrote:

Am 05.06.2025 um 18:08 schrieb marika:

Rudolf Diesel’s mansion
>
“Rugs throughout the home were imported from Asia, the vaulted ceiling of
the entrance hall was hand-carved and painted. The interior decoration,
mostly overseen by Martha, included hand-carved French furniture,
ivory-covered walls, oil paintings,I sculptures, and other decorative
items.
The earth excavated for the massive foundation provided the soil to
grade the formal gardens that surrounded the house. The cavity for the
foundation and cellar was so large that Rudolf Jr. and Eugen lowered in
bicycles and raced around the empty pit before the construction began.
After two full years of construction, the family took up residence in 1901.
The total cost of the land, construction, and furnishings exceeded 900,000
marks, and came with the ongoing expense of a large household staff. Local
newspapers hailed the mansion, called Villa Diesel, as the most splendid
home in all Munich.”
>
Excerpt From
The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
Douglas Brunt

 Was there a question or is this just something you've read?
 

Riding bicycles in the bare foundation is cool.
900,000 Marks in 1901 is around US$215,000 or after inflation about US$ 7 million today. Expensive but not ridiculously so.
[data not found before 1913/1914]
https://marcuse.faculty.history.ucsb.edu/projects/currency.htm
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971