The Collector

Rob Horby developed his skills as an antiques and art collector when he was an officer in the U.S. Navy, stationed in the Far East. On shore leave, while his fellow seamen were out in rickshaws taking in the bistros and tourist sites, Horby hit all the furniture placeslarge and smallfrom Bali to Bombay.

Today, as owner of Circa a.d. in the Morena District, Horby finds Asian art comforting, especially the religious icons. It doesnt matter whether its a painting of Jesus or a statue of Buddha, he finds a place for it in his home.

Being a collector has been a lifelong passion, and my collections have changed over the years, Horby says. For a time, he was into American Arts & Crafts worksespecially California plein-air paintings. Lately, hes narrowed his focus to Asian religious art, Japanese Imari porcelain and Chinese and Vietnamese export ceramics recovered from sunken ships.

Horby recently remodeled his Mission Hills home to create a sense of orderindoors and out. Before, he had brilliant works of art and furnishings stuck everywhere. Now, this graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy has organized each room to better display his collection by subject or country of origin.

To Horby, tranquility is a major theme. The quietude begins with a peaceful new garden that was part of the remodeling effort. He wanted to create useful outdoor living space. Gone is the traditional front yard; in its place stands a gazebo with a bale inside. A bale is a type of outdoor daybed found in Bali. His is made of teak and coconut- palm wood.

Because this is a Bali garden, its also filled with Hindu deities and a few Buddhas. Buddha was incorporated into the Hinduism you typically find in Bali, he says.

A path to the new main entrance of this 1925 Spanish Revival bungalow meanders past a miniforest of Asian flora. I love Bali, so that was the major influence in design and plant material, Horby says. The garden is fragrant with white ginger, stephanotis, gardenia, verbena and jasmine.

On entering the home, guests are greeted by an odd centerpiece: an opium bed that replaces a sofa and coffee table. First-time visitors find lounging on the bed somewhat daunting, but after a glass of wine and some good conversation, the comfort factor takes over, Horby says.

From the living room, the impressive collection of Asian furnishings, rugs, lights and iconographic art stretches into adjacent rooms. The dining room, with its unmatched table and chairs, is painted brilliant rouge with touches of orange. Horby displays religious icons mainly in the dining room, but he has niches in the form of altars in various locations throughout the home.

Although I dont practice any organized religion, he says, I consider myself a mystic and embrace all spiritual practices, regardless of their religious origin. I buy religious art that speaks to me not only on its artistic merits but also by its spiritual presence.

Horby loves to study how universal religious art can befor example, the use of angels in Hindu and Christian traditions. I grew up in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, he says. Im sure all the icons of saints staring at me in church made an impression.

Horbys collection includes a wonderful 18th-century Our Lady of Kazan Russian icon, purchased while he was in the Navy, and a significant 18th-century carved santo of the archangel Michael from the Philippines. But one of his favorite pieces is a 19th-century, Burmese papier-mch Buddhas head.

A modern kitchen is Horbys concession to Occidental living, as are the multilevel decks on the west side of the home, which offer unobstructed views of downtown, the harbor and the airport. His bungalow may be a repository for his collection, but its still a home, Horby emphasizes, and quite livable. Everything has functionality. He eats from his antique Imari dishes. His antique Chinese and Japanese furniture is there for guests to use. And hes created a fun party house. Cocktails and an occasional dinner party on the main terrace off the living room are something he relishes, especially during the gorgeous autumn sunsets.

And on days when Horby chooses introspection, his home serves as a worldly escape from the hectic pace of the retail world.

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