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A Gilded Age mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, that was inspired by 18th-century French architecture has just sold in an eight-figure deal.
Never publicly listed, the oceanfront home, named Miramar, changed hands last week for $27 million. The deal marks the second-highest sale in Newport County, and is bested only by last month’s sale of the nearby Clarendon Court, according to listing records with Zillow and Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty, the brokerage which handled the sale.
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Set on 8 acres, the sprawling limestone mansion spans 31,000 square feet and has upward of 22 bedrooms, plus 13 full bathrooms and five half bathrooms, according to the brokerage.
Its lavish interiors are fitted with soaring ceilings, ornate cornicing, murals and stately fireplaces.
Plus there are marble floors, oversized windows, a wine cellar and ocean views. And elsewhere on the estate are tennis courts and a seven-bedroom carriage house.
The waterfront spread has a rich history. It was commissioned by businessman
George D. Widener
more than a century ago, who tapped architect
Horace Trumbauer
to build him an understatedly named “summer cottage,” according to the brokerage.
Following a trip to Europe, Widener and his family were returning to the U.S. aboard the Titanic. While he and his son didn’t survive the sinking of the ship, his wife,
Eleanor Elkins Widener
did, and would continue with the family’s plans for the home, which was completed in 1913.
She later donated to Harvard University the funds for the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, otherwise known as the Widener Library, in honor of her son.
The sellers of the home—who used a limited liability company to purchase Miramar in 2006 for $17.15 million—worked with a team of preservation consultants and advisors during their tenure to bring the home in line with its original character, the agency said.
“The design, construction, setting, and historical pedigree of this property are second to none,” listing agent
David Huberman
of Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty, said in a statement.
Like the sellers, the buyers of Miramar shielded their identity using an LLC, property records show.
“From private entry through its elaborate gates, to the flow through arched doorways from formal dining spaces through grand ballrooms to its exquisite seaside terrace it offers grandeur, and an opportunity to own a piece of history that cannot be recreated,”
Mr. Huberman
added.
This article originally appeared on Mansion Global.
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