A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits on the ocean in East Hampton Village — for a select few that is. A 3.6-acre estate has been listed for $120 million, making it the most expensive property on the market in the Hamptons.
Dune Cottage, steeped in history, is located at 43 East Dune Lane, a prominent address off Highway Behind the Pond, situated between the Atlantic Ocean, Hook Pond and more than 200 acres of the manciured golf course at the Maidstone Club.
The property is represented by Terry Cohen at Hedgerow Exclusive Properties and Chris Covert of the Modlin Group.
“43 East Dune offers an unparalleled experience with its breathtaking ocean views, utmost privacy, and luxurious amenities in the most coveted location of the Hamptons. The meticulously curated finishes and furnishings enhance the home’s elegance while honoring its historical significance,” says Cohen, a partner at Hedgerow.
Built in 1910, the stucco home was then part of an 80-acre estate that belonged to Frank Wiborg, an ink manufacturer and self-made millionaire, for whom the nearby Wiborg’s Beach is named. The Grosvenor Atterbury-designed home was considered the grandest of the time, according to an article in The East Hampton Star. Jazz Age socialite Sara Murphy, Wilborg’s eldest daughter who was the literary inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald, inherited the property. By 1941 Murphy was unable to sell or rent the mansion and it became too expensive to maintain, so it was purposely burned down by the East Hampton Fire Department, The Star reported.
A “cottage” on the property remained. Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ sister, Lee Radziwill, and her then-husband Herbert Ross eventually bought the house in the late 1980s for $6.2 million. It’s not far from where the former First Lady and Radziwill spent summers as children.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld almost bought the house in 1999 and had a signed contract for $19 million, The Observer reported at the time, but Radziwill and Ross backed out.
but Thomas H. Lee, considered a pioneer of private equity investment and leveraged buyouts, according to CNBC, and his wife, Ann Tenenbaum, a venture capital investor and philanthropist, bought the property in 2001 after renting it for the summer. Records show Lee and Tenenbaum paid $16.2 million.
Tenenbaum decided to sell following Lee’s death in February 2023 at the age of 78.
Today, the 11,000-square-foot residence enjoys 225 feet of oceanfront. “The house is accessed through an allée of specimen beech trees and is situated atop a dune, offering magnificent views from a location that cannot be replicated,” the listing description reads.
With “tasteful additions to key living areas,” the mansion has been given “a state-of-the-art upgrade to all systems.” A renovation was undertaken in 2016.
The living room features 15-foot high ceilings and opens to an oceanside all-season terrace with breathtaking water views.
There are a total of 10 bedrooms, 12 full bathrooms and two half-baths between the main residence and the 1,500-square-foot guest studio, adjacent to the Har-Tru tennis court.
A full lower level offers approximately 5,000 square feet of additional space and features a screening room, gym and wellness center.
A private grotto leads to an oceanside heated, 24-by-58-foot pool and spa are nestled amid the dunes.
“Dune Cottage is one of the most historic, storied, and exceptional properties in the Hamptons, rivaling the most gracious American residences of the past 200 years,” the listing says.
Check out more photos below.
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