Awash in gilt and royal blue, the stately Carnegie Hill townhouse of print baron Peter Brant seeks a steward for its gilded glory. The 1931 Delano & Aldrich gem, asking $19.5 million, spans six floors of Beaux-Arts splendor.
Within the Georgian façade, a spiral staircase lined in neoclassical meandros motifs sets an elegant tone. Ornate plaster ceilings, period chandeliers and carved fireplaces nod to old New York. Yet contemporary flourishes like a kaleidoscopic checkerboard dining floor add modern panache.
Special spaces abound—a library, his and hers powder rooms, an elevator and garden. The kitchen balances uptown refinement with stainless appliances and an iron light befitting an artist’s studio.
Commissioned by financier George Baker Jr., the home stands as a rare intact example of Delano & Aldrich’s sophisticated historicism. The eminent firm, architects to Whitneys and Astors, infused Georgian and Federal styles with imaginative modern élan.
Bathed in skylight, the grand staircase ascends through all four floors. Below, a marble gallery opens to an oval dining room and well-equipped kitchen. An enormous lower kitchen accesses the garden, aided by laundry and storage rooms.
On the second floor, a library’s curved window wall overlooks the grounds. The den could become a bedroom, as could the third floor’s living room with its soaring ceiling. Two top-floor bedroom suites complete the elegant tableau.
This neoclassical Carnegie Hill gem has welcomed discerning residents since its landmark designation in 1974. With original details intact, it stands ready to embrace modern life while upholding the craft of a bygone era. For the right curator, it promises a living link to old New York’s unextinguished glory.
