Between June 30th and July 2nd, a piece of Kansas City’s storied past came alive in an energetic fashion during an estate sale at the historic Van Noy Mansion. The well known Swope Park adjacent estate had recently been sold (it received over 20,000 views on Zillow in the first week up for sale) and the Brown Button Estate Sale team was hired to host the sale. The event was well attended by the architecturally curious, fans of Kansas City history, and those looking to buy from the intriguing collections housed in this historic estate.
The Van Noy Mansion: A Historical Overview
Constructed in 1909, the Van Noy Mansion was designed by Clifton B. Sloan, a respected architect known for his elaborate residential architectural designs. Commissioned by Ira and Charles Van Noy, successful Kansas City entrepreneurs, the mansion was strategically placed just south of the main entrance to Swope Park, at the time located outside the city limits, to be used as a country estate.
Constructed with rough-hewn local stone, the mansion is a testament to Sloan’s architectural skill and his ability to work with indigenous materials. The mansion’s style draws from English Tudor motifs, with American eclectic elements freely mixed into the design. The steeply pitched, front-facing gable, ornamental half-timbering, and stucco walls are the dominant features that derive from English precedents. The interiors, however, showcased both Classical and Art Nouveau detailing, resulting in a rich tapestry of design influences. Unquestionably, the highlight and showstopper of the house is the 25 ft high glass domed atrium.
Van Noy Mansion Estate Sale
The recent estate sale saw nearly 1,000 visitors, drawn to the mansion’s history and the potential of unearthing a unique treasure. The sale sold a staggering variety, 1,954 individual items in total, all meticulously organized, researched, and priced by the Brown Button Estate Sale team. The items ranged from antique oil paintings to woodworking tools, from European antique furniture to a collection of live edge slabs of wood.
The highlights of the sale included an English 17th-18th-century pair of carved oak newel post finials depicting a Griffin and Lion that sold for $2,000, a bench made 8’4″ mahogany drop leaf wake table that sold for $1,800, an antique Portuguese brass marine barometer with wall-mounted gimbal by R.N Desterro that fetched $1,100, and a pair of Marcel Breuer style Wassily chairs that sold for $1,680.
Many visitors to the sale reminisced about their personal experiences with the Van Noy Mansion. From weddings held on the estate lawn by the pond to Saturday afternoon tea parties under the mansion’s glass-domed atrium, the mansion has served as the backdrop for countless cherished memories.
The sale not only allowed the past owners to take what they loved and leave the rest to the Brown Button team, but it also provided attendees a unique opportunity to take home a piece of Kansas City history. The success of the estate sale reflected the community’s deep appreciation for the Van Noy Mansion and the experiences it has hosted throughout its illustrious history.
Over a century since its construction, the Van Noy Mansion remains a symbol of Kansas City’s architectural legacy and continues to inspire with its extraordinary interior design and enduring architectural style. The Brown Button team was excited and honored to play a role in helping the historic estate transition into a new chapter of its long and ongoing story.
