Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Brooke Astor's Stuff Worth Millions More Than Expected

By

Garth Johnston

Published Sep 26, 2012

Modified Sep 26, 2012

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

This 1983 painting of Brooke Astor went for $22,500

 

Sotheby's

By

Garth Johnston

Published Sep 26, 2012

Modified Sep 26, 2012

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Even in death, Brooke Astor is money, baby. To wit: A Sotheby's auction of her belongings ended last night and managed to bring in $18.8 million, nearly double the $9.7 million that the auction house expected it to. The real question is why they'd think Astor's possession wouldn't be a massive moneymaker.

Of the 901 items up for auction, three took in more than a million dollars a pop—despite being estimated to bring in between $100,000 and $500,000 each. The top item was a portrait by John Frederick Lewis that sold for $1,594,500. It was followed by a Giovanni Antonio Canal painting which sold for $1,202,500. And the other million dollar item was a very Brooke Astor platinum, emerald and diamond ring like the one in the portrait above that went for $1,202,500—despite being estimated to be worth just $100,000-150,000 (a similar necklace, estimated to be worth more than the ring, went for just $686,500).

And the hits just go on! A pair of "unusual" Chinese boxes from the 18th century that Sotheby's guessed were worth roughly $10,000 sold for $495,000! Because who doesn't want to own Brooke Astor's Chinese boxes, right?

Anyway, you can check out all the goodies here. And before you freak out that all that money is going to go to Brooke's wicked son and his wife, don't. Like much of her money, the proceeds are going to some of Astor’s favorite charities, including the Met and the New York Public Library.

Tagged

astor

auctions

Brooke Astor

money

sotheby's

Garth Johnston

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE arts-entertainment

The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.

By

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Published Oct 8, 2026

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay

Arts & Entertainment

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay

What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

By

Jayson Greene

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

By

Sonia Rao

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

By

Alec Hamilton

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .