william baker | the agency real estate | beverly hills

For decades, people have wondered about the man with his back turned in one of Julius Shulman’s most iconic photographs.
Many assume it’s Mr. Stahl.
In fact, he was a representative from Bethlehem Steel—present during the shoot. Pierre Koenig’s relationship with the company helped the Stahl family secure discounted raw steel, a small but telling detail behind one of the most influential houses of the 20th century. Images: @carothersphoto Aerial: @visualmediala Styling: @lemo_lb Landscape: @elysianlandscapes A Special Thanks to @gettyimages and the Julius Shulman Archives @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

Case Study House #22 — Universally known as the Stahl House — stands as one of the most important residential works of the 20th century: a museum-grade architectural artifact preserved with exceptional care and offered now, for the first time, by the original family.
 Designed by Pierre Koenig for Buck and Carlotta Stahl, the home became immortalized through Julius Shulman’s legendary 1960 photograph, later recognized by Time Magazine as one of the most influential images in the publication’s 200-year history. Its impact on architecture, visual culture, and the global perception of Los Angeles remains unparalleled.
 Privately positioned at the end of a gated drive, the property offers a rare combination of discretion, security, and serenity high above the city, with exterior cameras supporting the home’s privacy.
 This offering represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a true cultural Landmark.
 For collectors of design, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable. Koenig’s disciplined steel structure, its floating corner, and the sweeping 270-degree panorama of the city create a living environment that is at once serene, elemental, and Awe-inspiring.
 A City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home carries its Mills Act designation and an unbroken chain of family stewardship since 1960.
 This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility — a search for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its preservation for generations to come.
 In a city filled with remarkable homes, there is only one Stahl House. For the right buyer, this is a legacy to carry forward. Shown to pre-qualified clients only. Enormous gratitude to the Stahl Family for the privilege of placing this architectural icon in the right hands. Photo credits to @carothersphoto and #thegetty @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker styling by @lesliemorterbrown aerial @visualmediala landscape @elysianlandscapes

Open this weekend 2-5 William R. Stephenson, 1964 
Encino — Royal Oaks Stephenson spent time with Frank Lloyd Wright in the late ’40s before establishing his own practice here in Los Angeles. What’s rare here is the continuity. Same family ownership since completion in 1964. The house hasn’t been taken apart or reimagined, which is increasingly uncommon with properties of this era. Set on a quiet cul-de-sac in Royal Crest Estates, with clean sight lines (no overhead wires), strong natural light, and the kind of indoor/outdoor flow that defines Southern California mid-century. 4 bed / 4 bath 3,144 SF on a view lot Priced at $2,895,000 Images: @carothersphoto 
Video: @visualmediala 
Staging: @lemo_lb @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

Two extraordinary works of mid-century architecture.
And remarkably, both still held by the original families since their completion. The Stahl House by Pierre Koenig, completed in 1960, and the Bernfeld House by William R. Stephenson, completed in 1964, represent more than important architecture—they embody continuity, stewardship, and a level of integrity that has become increasingly rare. In a world where so many significant homes have been altered, traded, or lost altogether, there is something profoundly moving about experiencing houses that have remained in the care of the families who first brought them to life. These are not simply listings.
They are living pieces of California architectural history. #architecture #midcenturymodernism #stahlhouse #pierrekoenig #modernism @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

Case Study House No. 22—more widely known as The Stahl House.
Featured in The Agency Times. For over six decades, this home has known only one family. Not as a commodity—but as something carefully held, protected, and understood. That continuity is not just history—it is presence. Felt in the restraint. In the integrity. In what hasn’t been altered. It hasn’t been passed around. It hasn’t been overworked. It has simply been looked after. The next chapter will ask for the same. Now offered at $20M images @cameroncarothersphoto aerial @visualmediala styling @lemo_lb thanks to @gettyimages #stahlhouse #casestudyhouse22 #pierrekoenig #architecturalstewardship @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

In the many visits I’ve had at the Stahl House, at all times of day, it never fails to leave an impression—though none more so than at twilight. It’s something we’ve come to prioritize when sharing the home with interested parties, as this is when Pierre Koenig’s design finds its most complete expression. In this newly shared album, Bruce Stahl offers a rare, personal lens into that transition—one shaped not by a single iconic image, but by decades of continuous family stewardship. Now offered at $20M. #stahlhouse #casestudyhouse22 #pierrekoenig #midcenturymodern #modernarchitecture @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

✨The Stahl House ✨ More magical in person than I could have imagined- hence my reaction upon first glance in the last slide. A true thing of beauty. Incredible. Thank you @williamjamesbaker and Bruce Stahl for the epic tour! And it could alll be yours… once in a lifetime property on the market now.

I had two very different conversations this past week at the Stahl House; with Agency colleagues, and another with a group of collector car enthusiasts. Interestingly, they landed in the same place. At the house, the conversation kept returning to condition—how uncommon it is to see something from 1960 that hasn’t been altered or reworked. Even the primary bathroom—generally off-limits to tours—but captured here-remains a telling example of that continuity. In the automotive world, the conversation was about provenance. How often does a truly important, world-class collector car—regardless of marque—come to market from its original owner? Almost never. And when it does, it carries a different weight entirely. That parallel is hard to ignore. Case Study House #22 is increasingly being understood not just as architecture, but as something closer to functional art. It’s been described as a “museum-grade architectural artifact,” and even finds itself in conversations typically reserved for collectible works. But unlike a painting or a car kept behind glass, this is something you live within. The alignment with the city grid, the precision of the structure, the way the house engages the skyline—it’s all still doing exactly what it was designed to do. That combination—authorship, provenance, cultural relevance, and uninterrupted stewardship—is what defines blue-chip assets in any category. There are countless homes in Los Angeles. None like the Stahl House in its authorship, provenance, and uninterrupted stewardship. Images @gettyimages @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

Coming Soon William R. Stephenson, 1964 Encino — Royal Oaks There’s a certain type of mid-century home that doesn’t need to try very hard—and this is one of them. Stephenson spent time with Frank Lloyd Wright before establishing his own practice here in Los Angeles, and while you can see that influence, it’s restrained. The house isn’t making a statement for the sake of it. What stands out to me more than anything is the continuity. Same family ownership since completion in 1964. That alone changes the way a house feels. It hasn’t been picked apart, reworked, or pushed into something it was never meant to be. It’s been lived in, cared for, and left largely as intended—which, at this point, is increasingly rare. The setting helps. Quiet cul-de-sac. No overhead wires cutting through the view. Clean sight lines, strong natural light, and that effortless indoor/outdoor flow that Southern California architecture does best when it’s done right. It’s also one of those houses that reveals itself a bit more the longer you spend in it. 4 bed / 4 bath 3,144 SF View lot Coming soon at less than $1000 per SF Images: @carothersphoto Video: @visualmediala Staging: @lemo_lb @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

William R. Stephenson, 1964 
Encino — Royal Crest Estates
Coming Soon Stephenson spent time with Frank Lloyd Wright in the late ’40s before establishing his own practice here in Los Angeles. You see that influence. What’s rare here is the continuity. Same family ownership since completion in 1964. The house hasn’t been taken apart or reimagined, which is increasingly uncommon with properties of this era. Set on a quiet cul-de-sac in Royal Crest Estates, with clean sight lines (no overhead wires), strong natural light, and the kind of indoor/outdoor flow that defines Southern California mid-century. 4 bed / 4 bath 3,144 SF on a view lot Coming soon at $2,995,000 Images: @carothersphoto 
Video: @visualmediala 
Staging: @lemo_lb @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker

Architect William R. Stephenson, 1964. Coming Soon Tucked into the hills of Encino’s Royal Crest Estates, this residence offers a refined expression of Southern California mid-century modernism by architect William R. Stephenson, who worked with Frank Lloyd Wright in the late 1940s before establishing his own practice in Los Angeles. Stephenson later became known for designing homes for figures associated with Hollywood’s Golden Age, including the Pacific Palisades residence of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Held by the same family since its completion, the home presents a rare continuity of ownership that has allowed its architectural character to endure. Thoughtful updates over time have enhanced livability while respecting the clarity of the original design. Set along a quiet cul-de-sac in one of Encino’s most desirable hillside neighborhoods, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom view property offers light-filled interiors and quintessential, indoor outdoor living spaces suited for both everyday life and entertaining. Royal Crest Estates is further distinguished by underground utilities that preserve open views and the neighborhood’s clean architectural landscape. Video @visualmediala Staging @lemo_lb A rare opportunity to acquire a one-family mid-century architectural residence. @williamjamesbaker @theagencyre

This image can be deceiving. While the Stahl House appears to sit at the very top of the Hollywood Hills, it actually occupies a far more strategic position — precisely between the ridge above and the city below. Homes higher on the hillside lose this canyon perspective entirely. Homes further down surrender the commanding vantage and sit much closer to Sunset Boulevard. From here, the balance is rare. Even the legendary Chateau Marmont rests nearly beneath this perch. It’s not simply elevated. It’s precisely placed. #stahlhouse #casestudyhouse22 #pierrekoenig #casestudyhouse #midcenturymodern @theagencyre @williamjamesbaker