The large stone house at the crest of Wong Nai Chung gap on Hong Kong island, where exclusivity increases with altitude, is protected by an ornate black and gold gate embellished with royal and mythological motifs. A helmeted angel gazes down as a centaur, armed with bow and arrow, takes aim at a ram. A lion and maiden complete the tableaux.

No 1 Repulse Bay Road is the residence of Stanley Ho, the “gambling king” of Macao, and the house reflects both the wealth and 1970s aesthetic sensibilities of its occupant, according to one person who has visited.