Mansion Global

Modern Sun Valley, Idaho, Ranch Going to Auction on Jan. 27

Bidding for the seven-bedroom home will start at $11 million

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A Ketchum, Idaho, house originally listed at $17.5 million will go to auction on Jan. 27 with a starting price of $11 million, according to Elite Auctions.

The nearly 15,000- square-foot house belongs to art collector Ruth Bloom and entertainment attorney Jake Bloom, who has represented clients such as Jerry Bruckheimer and Nicolas Cage.

The seven-bedroom home was designed in 1994 by Fred Fisher, whose architecture firm is responsible for a number of notable art institutions, including MOMA P.S. 1 in New York, the L.A. Louver art gallery and the Contemporary Museum of Honolulu.

Mr. Fisher had previously designed two galleries for Mrs. Bloom in L.A., she told Mansion Global, and the house features a dedicated gallery space where the Blooms display pieces from their collection.

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Sitting on more than 18 acres of land along the Big Wood River, Mr. Fisher said the house was designed to fit in with the landscape. Built using 100-year-old reclaimed wood, the property is intended to feel "almost like an indigenous farm or mill complex that was rehabilitated as a house," Mr. Fisher said.

The Blooms, who met while working at a summer camp in Upstate New York, enjoy fly fishing and hiking in the surrounding area, and snowshoeing in the winter, Mrs. Bloom said.

While the surrounding nature may very well be the star of the show, the house does not lack for amenities. It has a pool, spa, elevator, "restaurant designed" kitchen and greenhouse, according to Elite Auctions.

Mrs. Bloom also said they enjoy the Sun Valley community, which she described as being less status-conscious than some other ski destinations.

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"It’s very casual," she said. "It’s not about having a Prada store down the street, which Aspen does."

Although the Blooms have many happy memories of enjoying the ranch with their loved ones, Mrs. Bloom said a few years ago they decided it was time to downsize. After first listing the house for $17.5 million in November 2016 and going through two different brokers, Mrs. Bloom said they chose to go the auction route to reach a wider market.

Non-distressed auctions are becoming increasingly common, said Randy Haddaway, president of Elite Auctions. It allows sellers to set a deadline, and condenses what is often a drawn-out process. "Most of our auctions are over in minutes," Mr. Haddaway said.

Participants in this auction can either do it in person or remotely, but a $150,000 cashier’s check is required for a bidder’s card.

Although the Blooms will bid farewell to their beloved house, Mrs. Bloom said they will not be strangers to Sun Valley. They own the adjacent 30 acres of land, which will be available for purchase by the highest bidder on the house. If the buyer does not choose to purchase the additional land, however, Mrs. Bloom said they intend to build a smaller, one-level home on the site.