Billionaire chic: Contents of opulent mansion with 45 bedrooms to be sold at public auction
Eyebrows were raised when it was put on sale for £300m back in 2012, but now 2-8a Rutland Gate – which, with 45-odd bedrooms, is one of London's largest homes – is hitting headlines again after its owners put its entire contents up for auction.
The Guardian reports that the entire contents of the home, once owned by the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, had been put up for sale by its owners.
"The sale comprises approximately 800 lots of important European and English furniture, objects d'art, silver, carpets, glass, ceramics and paintings," explains its listing.
Opulent en suites are included in the sale (Source: i-bidder.com)
"This private residence decorated in arabesque style by Alberton Pinto's interior design and decoration agency, features reproductions of the 18th and 19th century room settings replete with overscale patterns, bold colour schemes and sumptuous finishes." That, and an awful lot of gold leaf…
Among the lots on offer are an "ensuite bath, vanity unit, bidet and WC bathroom accessories and furniture from Baldi Home Jewels". There's a set of 10 "parcel-gilt dining chairs", three 24ct gold waste bins and some nice gold-plated tissue box covers – as well as numerous chandeliers, drapes, rugs and paintings.
Some of the golden waste bins on offer (Source: i-bidder.com)
There aren't any guide prices on the objects because they are "there to sell", Mark Flynn, an auctioneer at ProAuction told The Guardian.
"Why put prices in people's minds?" he asked. "The market is the market." Well – you can't put a price on good taste…