Waldorf Astoria in New York City: pieces of furniture are being auctioned

Chandeliers, vases, showcases – and the door to the suite in which the former US President Herbert Hoover once slept: around 15,000 pieces of furniture from the famous Waldorf Astoria New York have been auctioned since the weekend. “These are unique objects from a legendary hotel,” says a message from the US auction house Kaminski. The furnishings are currently on display in an empty shopping mall near Boston. The auction will last until November 15th.

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The Waldorf Astoria New York has been a luxury hangout for Hollywood stars, artists and top politicians since it opened in 1931. In 2014, the Hilton hotel chain sold its flagship property to Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance for $ 1.95 billion. He has announced a major renovation. The deal was controversial: regular and state guests stayed away, they did not trust the new owner. Two years later, Anbang shut down the Waldorf. For another reason: In the course of a massive renovation, half of the rooms are converted into apartments for millionaires. But that is also not undisputed – New York already has too many VIP properties and too little affordable living space.

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For Anbang, the Waldorf was part of a global expansion on credit that went wrong. In 2017, Wu Xiaohui, the founder and chairman, was arrested and later sentenced to 18 years in prison for fraud. The Beijing government smashed Anbang and sold 15 hotels. The Waldorf Astoria is one of the last remaining items.

The future of the hotel was assured, it was said, especially since the management remained with Hilton. In the middle of such a monumental building project, you can hardly get out. At the moment the hotel is being refurbished. The proceeds from the auction are intended to finance work on St. Bartholomew’s Church, which is located in the Manhattan neighborhood right next to the hotel.

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One of the most spectacular items in the auction is the furniture from the room in which Herbert Hoover lived permanently in the 1940s – including the front door with an estimated value of 200 to 300 dollars. A carpet from the suite used by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is said to fetch $ 2,500 to $ 3,500. The most expensive item is an oil painting from the room in which the actress Elizabeth Taylor slept, which is estimated at 8,000 to 12,000 dollars.

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