Newport Gilded Age Mansion Lists for $6,495,000

To be sure, there are some museum-worthy rooms in this home that are opulently over-the-top—a tad too formal for most of us. They’re grand, lush … and notable for the picture-perfect way in which they capture the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island.

Known today as “Quatrel,” the estate was built in 1853. The 9,803 square-foot residence sits on a one-and-a-quarter perfectly manicured lot that suits its stateliness to a T. To be prestigiously precise, it is located on Bellevue Avenue across from Rough Point, the oceanfront estate of the heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke.

Like most historic homes, this one comes with a backstory. Built in the style of an Italianate villa, it was designed by Providence architect Thomas Alexander Tefft for one Earl P. Mason, who later became president of the Rhode Island National Bank. In 1903, the second owner, Egerton Winthrop of New York, had it remodeled in the Classical Revival style. He hired architect Dudley Newton and Ogden Codman, Jr., a friend of Edith Wharton’s (whose famous design book, The Decoration of Houses, was co-written by Codman).

There have been only six owners in the estate’s long, colorful history, and one of them was the Lorillard family, founder of The Newport Jazz Festival. Its classic charms are indisputable, and yet there’s a lot to like for the more modern prospective buyer. There’s its outstanding location in the Bellevue Avenue/Ochre Point neighborhood, of course. The Cliff Walk and Bailey’s Beach are a short walk away.

Its interiors (including detailed millwork and stunning marble fireplace mantels) have been painstakingly restored. The entire residence (including all seven bedrooms, six full and two partial baths) has been completely transformed into an immensely livable home for a 21st-century family—without sacrificing its old-world charm. A state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system keeps all three floors comfortable year-round.

The property is listed for $6,495,000 with Jay Serzan and Kate Greenman of Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty in Newport. The MLS # is 1107675. Call (401) 849-3000 or visit the property website for more information.