Sunday, May 14, 2017

Big Old Connecticut Estate Going to Auction, No Reserve

Well this is interesting.
From Mansion Global, May 8:
The expansive hilltop home, previously listed for $5.75 million, is on the National Register of Historic Places
http://imagescdn.gabriels.net/reno/imagereader.aspx?imageurl=http%3A%2F%2Fm.sothebysrealty.com%2F989i215%2Fwrh6szzprmw440ayhk7a3e4yg4i215&option=N&w=1600&permitphotoenlargement=false
This pic is from Sotheby's International Realty when they had the listing.

A sprawling Georgian estate in Ridgefield, Connecticut, with a storied history that includes links to magician Harry Houdini, actor Robert Vaughn and a U.S. ambassador may soon disappear from the market.
The 1912 home, known as Sunset Hall, is set to hit the auction block on May 19, without reserve, meaning there is no minimum bid, according to its listing with Platinum Luxury Auctions.

The 12,000-square-foot estate, built atop one of the highest points in the picturesque town, offers sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains and has an historic pedigree—with a list of notable owners and a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

“This is such an elegant, regal property,” said David Enriquez, Platinum’s vice president of operations. “All we handle are luxury homes, but this property is really something you don’t find very often.”

The 10-bedroom home, which has eight full bathrooms and four half bathrooms, sits on a nearly seven-acre property with a 65-foot-long heated, outdoor pool, a tennis court and a separate,1,500-square-foot guest house, according to Platinum.

The early 1900s estate—first owned by James Stoker, a U.S. ambassador to Great Britain—also features a marble-floored ballroom, a sunroom, a gourmet kitchen and nine fireplaces.
In the 1920s, Dr. Leopold Weiss, the brother of Harry Houdini (whose real name was Ehrich Weiss), bought the home. Houdini and his wife used the secluded estate as a weekend getaway, according to Platinum....MORE
Here are more of the Sotheby's pictures. Fifty miles by helicopter to Manhattan.