Jawdropper of the Year: “The American Versailles” in Mahwah for $48M

“Darlington,” Mahwah, N.J. 07430 | Images via Christie’s International Real Estate

Words fail us.

That’s because it’s impossible to fully capture in words the over-the-top elegance of this 58-room mansion in Mahwah, N.J., about 25 miles outside New York City.

But since we get paid to write them, we’ll spill a few anyway.

“Darlington” is the name of this larger-than-life English Gothic Revival mansion, built by railroad heir George Crocker in 1907 as a private retreat from the hustle and bustle of New York.

The home is the product of architect James Brite, who as an architect in the firm of McKim, Mead & White designed the first purpose-built Madison Square Garden (1890) and who handled the details of the Lincoln Memorial’s construction in 1914-22 as Henry Bacon’s partner in the firm of Brite & Bacon.

Its 58 rooms include spaces for anything you might imagine: A formal tea room and a dining room. Two lounges, one with a fabulous wine rack. A billiard room, a home theater and an indoor pool. A his-and-hers master suite wing. And a magnificent great hall with a 30-foot-high ceiling and a 1906 Aeolian player pipe organ, one of the few such organs, if not the only one, in the U.S.

This magnificent mansion sits on more than 12 acres of meticulously maintained grounds with a great view of the encircling Ramapo Mountains. Over the last seven years, the home has been lovingly restored with all of its original detail preserved. The reconstruction included a 12,000-square-foot addition to the home.

What more can we say about this place? We’ll let the pictures below do the talking.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: We’ve lost count

BATHS: More than enough

SQUARE FEET: 50,000 (approx.)

SALE PRICE: If you have to ask, you can’t afford it, and it’s not published on the listing (natch), but NBC10’s post on this home lists it as $48,000,000

OTHER STUFF: And if there’s not enough room for your visiting guests in the main home, there’s also a guest house on the property.

“Darlington,” Mahwah, N.J. 07430 [Sonja Cullaro and Kathleen Coumou | Christie’s International Real Estate]