When heiress and philanthropist Huguette Clark passed away last year at the age of 104 little was known about her personal life except her reclusive nature and her vast collection of dolls. Fast forward to 2012 and many of the copper heiress' real estate properties are on the market, but most importantly, the reclusive philanthropist, who had an estimated fortune of $400 million when she passed away, has been thrust back into the public eye as fascination revolving around her secretive life merely mounts.
The latest property that once belonged to Clark to hit the market is a 52-acre estate in New Canaan, Connecticut, which the late heiress never actually moved into, reports The Wall Street Journal. On the market for $19.8 million, Clark's property features a 12,766-square-foot French-chateau-style house with nine bedrooms and nine baths. 13-foot ceilings, 11 fireplaces and original marble and herringbone floors adorn the rooms of this historic estate that has been well-maintained over the years. The New York Times reports that although Clark never lived in the residence, she hired caretakers and even occasional law-care services to upkeep the place.
Instead of living in one of her many lavish homes (Clark also owned homes in Manhattan and Santa Barbara), the heiress chose to live much of her life in the hospital for more than two decades despite her good health.
She also spent millions of dollars on her doll collection, which unlike her real estate holdings, are not up for grabs to the highest bidder.
