I first met Lana Turner, the indefatigable real-estate broker, a few years ago through writer Michael Henry Adams. I’ve always been fascinated by her crazy inventiveness and extreme organizational talents, both of which helped her realize this ongoing project in Harlem: a fashion installation held inside of a four-story townhouse Lana is co-brokering at 56 Hamilton Terrace (listing price: $1.585 million; open houses held Sundays from noon”2 p.m.; see more). All of the vintage dresses, accessories, and memorabilia are Lana’s own. Here is the townhouse’s front parlor. Photo: Wendy Goodman
Lana has thought of everything: here, a desktop covered with postcards and photographs to make a wonderful still life. Photo: Wendy Goodman
My favorite space: a guest room on the garden level that Lana has staged as a music room after a wild party. Photo: Wendy Goodman
Another room I love: the second-floor master bedroom with two more of Lana’s vintage dresses. Photo: Wendy Goodman
Back at Lana’s apartment nearby on Convent Avenue, the living room is surprisingly spare. Much of her furniture has been relocated to the Hamilton Terrace property for the duration of the installation (likely through March). Photo: Wendy Goodman
This is more like it! A parlor off the living room crowded with part of Lana’s huge handbag collection. Photo: Wendy Goodman
And this is Lana herself. She is modeling a hat made by the Detroit milliner Leza Piazza. The amazing facsimile of a medieval head-covering is one of 400 pieces in Lana’s hat collection. Photo: Wendy Goodman
Lana is constantly hosting tea parties and salon readings, and she spends an inordinate amount of time baking goodies in her tidy kitchen, which is “perennially under renovation.” Photo: Wendy Goodman
When she is traveling, Lana sends letters and postcards to herself”a diary from the road, you could say. Photo: Wendy Goodman
Like everything else in her apartment, Lana’s CD collection is meticulously assembled. Photo: Wendy Goodman
