Live Your Versailles Fantasies in This Gilded Upper East Side Mansion for $60K/Month

There are undoubtedly many grand mansions of this kind in the rarified environs of the Upper East Side, some even grander and gold-er–but they don’t pop up among the rental listings too often. This triplex palace at 10 East 62nd Street is clearly in search of someone who is looking to make an impression. The rental bill is steep at $60,000 a month, but, again, there are plenty of big-ticket rentals around. What you’re getting for your monthly outlay is less about substance than it is about 5,600 square feet of gold-and-marble-covered, let-them-eat-cake opulence–in addition to four bedrooms, two living rooms, two kitchens, and an elevator, just to start with.

The home has been on and off the rental market for several years–on the last go-round it was asking $48k (which is still in the listing title, though the listing body names the higher rent), and that was just a year ago. So whomever’s behind the pricing has faith in the city’s booming economy.

On a fittingly elegant tree-lined block in prime parkside Upper East, the property looks, from its stately limestone facade and historic ornate windows, graceful and impressive, like the many former mansions that are now private club headquarters and lodgings for visiting dignitaries.

Records suggest the home’s original occupants were a Mr. and Mrs. Edmund L. Baylies (the Mr. being lawyer to none other than Cornelius Vanderbilt). It’s currently listed as being owned by a corporation–behind which might very well be a Wall Street con artist serving prison time for various financial schemes (some of which involved Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Costner). Which would explain why the house–which is on the books as a three-unit dwelling–has been on the rental market.

The listing offers, “Upon entering this magnificent home, you will experience its regal and grand layout.” Which is almost an understatement. You’ll definitely experience the enormous mirrored living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, hand painted murals, 24-carat gold paneling and a marble wood-burning fireplace.

An equally large formal dining room has another wood-burning fireplace; the spacious main kitchen looks like many in the city’s best restored townhouses, with rich wood paneling framing the most modern top-of-the-line appliances. Intricately detailed floors are the original Italian limestone.

A show-stopping brass and wrought-iron staircase curves dramatically upward to the master bedroom with a wood burning fireplace and a walk-in cedar closet.

The windowed en-suite bath offers marble floors, a soaking tub and a steam shower.

The garden layer of this gold-frosted wedding cake harbors the remaining three large bedrooms–each with full en-suite bathrooms–and a large, eat-in chef’s kitchen (this would be number two). The home also offers two sets of laundry facilities. A separate service entrance “facilitates the deliveries of packages, comfortable access for caterers and allows the easy movement of staff members.”

A “cozy” private patio–it is a bit of a disappointment, as the rest of the house has us royally spoiled at this point–makes up in working water fountain what it lacks in size. It also boasts a storage shed for outdoor furniture.

The landmarked residence has been thoroughly renovated with modern necessities like central A/C and that elevator, as well as “a modern fireproof type construction and sprinkler system.” Right at home on a gilded-age mansion-lined, architecturally fabulous and fashionable Upper East Side block, it’s steps from Central Park as well as some of the city’s best shopping, restaurants, museums and galleries.

“Versailles Queen’s Chamber” via CC

And this is the actual Palace of Versailles.

[Listing: 10 East 62nd Street by Silvette Julian for Nestseekers]

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Images courtesy of Nestseekers (previous listings included)