Barbara Jakobson's Upper East Side Townhouse Listed For $8.99 Million

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The former Upper East Side townhouse of influential collector Barbara Jakobson, who served as a longtime trustee of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and was a major figure in the city's art world for over 60 years, is on the market for $8.99 million.

Jakobson purchased the five-story residence on East 74th Street in Manhattan's Lenox Hill neighborhood in 1965, transforming it into an evolving personal gallery until her death in 2025.“I see the house as a vessel for an ongoing autobiographical exercise,” Jakobson told Curbed in a 2021 interview, adding,“I keep the transformation as proof of life.” The property, built in 1910 and expanded in 1956 by architect John Kingsland, was listed in April 2026 for $9.8 million following her passing last summer. It has since received a price reduction of over $800,000 to its current asking price.

Known as“the Squirrel House” due to bronze squirrel sculptures at its entrance, the 20-foot-wide home spans 6,000 square feet and features eight bedrooms and six full bathrooms. Its interiors include red lacquered doors, a grand entry hall with triple arches, and custom wallpaper by artist Peter Halley. The parlor floor offers a formal living room, a gallery, and a salon with a wood-burning fireplace. A double-height great room retains an outline of Frank Stella's 1971 work, Felsztyn III, which was sold in 2005 at a Christie's auction of Jakobson's collection. Glass doors open to a 350-square-foot private garden. The upper levels house guest bedrooms, including two junior suites, while the entire top floor is dedicated to the primary suite with a private lounge. Prior to Jakobson, filmmaker Elia Kazan resided there, during which time figures like James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Marlon Brando reportedly visited. The listing is held by Leslie Hirsch, Edward Joseph, Howard Morrel, and Benjamin Anderson of Christie's International Real Estate New York.

We previously reported:

Works from the late Agnes Gund's collection, including a Vija Celmins painting estimated at $6 million to $8 million, head to Christie's November auctions.

Source: ARTnews

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