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Storied Connecticut Estate With Ties to Houdini is Going Up for Auction

The expansive hilltop home, previously listed for $5.75 million, is on the National Register of Historic Places

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A sprawling Georgian estate in Ridgefield, Connecticut, with a storied history that includes links to magician Harry Houdini, actor Robert Vaughn and a U.S. ambassador may soon disappear from the market.

The 1912 home, known as Sunset Hall, is set to hit the auction block on May 19, without reserve, meaning there is no minimum bid, according to its listing with Platinum Luxury Auctions.

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The 12,000-square-foot estate, built atop one of the highest points in the picturesque town, offers sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains and has an historic pedigree—with a list of notable owners and a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

"This is such an elegant, regal property," said David Enriquez, Platinum's vice president of operations. "All we handle are luxury homes, but this property is really something you don’t find very often."

The 10-bedroom home, which has eight full bathrooms and four half bathrooms, sits on a nearly seven-acre property with a 65-foot-long heated, outdoor pool, a tennis court and a separate,1,500-square-foot guest house, according to Platinum.

The early 1900s estate—first owned by James Stoker, a U.S. ambassador to Great Britain—also features a marble-floored ballroom, a sunroom, a gourmet kitchen and nine fireplaces. In the 1920s, Dr. Leopold Weiss, the brother of Harry Houdini (whose real name was Ehrich Weiss), bought the home. Houdini and his wife used the secluded estate as a weekend getaway, according to Platinum.

Later owners included Brooklyn beer tycoon Samuel Rubel, and actor Robert Vaughn, perhaps best known for his 1960s television series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." In 1946, the grand estate was even considered as a headquarters for the United Nations, according to Platinum.

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From its lofty perch, the home also boasts views of the Manhattan skyline 50 miles away and the Long Island Sound, as well as a neighboring lake.

The home’s seller, Jennifer Nobandegani, bought the property in 2008 for $5.5 million with her husband, the late Manhattan neurosurgeon Fariborz Nobandegani, according to Platinum Luxury Auctions. Ms. Nobandegani, who resides in New York City with her children, used the property as a weekend home. She listed it in April 2015 for $5.75 million. Ms. Nobandegani could not be reached for comment.All interested bidders must register, which involves submitting a refundable $100,000 deposit, Mr. Enriquez said. Advance bids for the house are also welcome, he said.