‘One of the Few Remaining American Castles,’ Built for Andrew Carnegie’s Daughter, Heads to Auction

A castle-like mansion in Millbrook, New York, that was built for Andrew Carnegie’s daughter is headed to auction next month after spending a few years on and off the sales market.

The stone castle was built in 1927 for Margaret Carnegie and Roswell Miller and was modeled after Skibo Castle in Scotland, which Andrew Carnegie owned at the time. It was named Migdale Castle for Margaret’s nickname, Midge.

“It’s one of the few remaining American castles so to speak—there’s not a lot of them that have been preserved,” said co-listing agent Loy Carlos of Nest Seekers.

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To this day, the initials “RM” and “MC” with the year “1927” remain etched on the stone of the house, by the side entrance, Carlos said.

The 34,000-square-foot castle largely resembles its original, nearly 100-year-old form, though the seller—art dealer Guy Wildenstein, who purchased the property in 2000 for $5.29 million, according to PropertyShark records—has significantly renovated the home, modernizing the interiors and adding a large terrace and an indoor edgeless pool, spending “close to $20 million,” said Frank Martorano of Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions, who is handling the auction of the property along with Carlos and co-listing agent Heather Croner of Heather Croner Sotheby’s International Realty.

Where the Wildensteins could keep original details, they did, like in the case of the staircase and the windows, and where replacements were needed, the original details were replicated as accurately as possible, Carlos said. Spaces like the bathrooms and kitchens were updated for modern-day living.

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Additionally, the sellers acquired a 100-acre plot to double the property’s footprint to 200 acres, ensuring total privacy. Much of the land is wooded, adding to the picturesque view as well as providing opportunities for hunting.

“It’s perched on the side of a hill, so you get a view across the valley and of the mountains in the distance,” Martorano said. “As you look from the terrace, it’s like a ski slope heading down the property and absolutely gorgeous.”

Located about two hours north of New York City, the 29-room home has 10 bedrooms, 17 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and an elevator. Other amenities include a 5,000-bottle wine cellar, a gym, a steam room, a sauna, a tennis court, a home theater and a golf simulator, according to the listing.

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In addition to the main house, there’s a 5,000-square-foot gatehouse—a structure located at the entrance of the estate—with three bedrooms and an attached studio apartment, and a 10,000-square-foot staff house, which is adjacent to the castle.

Online bidding will open on May 16, and the auction will close live at Sotheby’s London on May 30. While there is no reserve, starting bids are expected between $4 million and $8 million, according to Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions.

“We’re going to have people from Europe, Asia and the Middle East at this auction,” Martorano said. “And we’re piggybacking on the Sotheby’s art auction… so it’s going to be one of the best attended auctions we’ve probably ever had.”

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Martorano also said the property could appeal to high-net worth buyers from New York, calling it “a billionaire’s escape.”

“It’s not necessarily the price tag, but it’s that this type of estate is for a particular lifestyle…it calls to different types of people that are used to running estates like this,” Carlos added. “The idea is that the auction might be able to get to those individuals much more effectively than just putting it on the open market.”

Wildenstein, who first listed the property in June 2020 for $14 million and last removed it from the market in July 2022, according to listing records, could not be reached for comment.

This story first appeared on Mansion Global