A Legacy Rooted in Newport: Gustave White and Sotheby’s International Realty

Hammersmith Farm

Long before Sotheby’s International Realty became synonymous with extraordinary homes around the world, its real estate story had an important beginning here in Newport.

In 1976, the renowned Sotheby’s auction house expanded into luxury real estate, seeking established local brokerages in some of the country’s most distinguished markets, including Palm Beach, Bel Air, Aspen, and Newport.

Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty became one of the earliest Sotheby’s International Realty affiliates, establishing a relationship that would connect generations of Newport expertise with an emerging global luxury real estate network.

A Historic First: Hammersmith Farm

The partnership made history almost immediately with a property deeply woven into Newport’s story: Hammersmith Farm.

Owned by Hugh D. Auchincloss, the storied waterfront estate was famously the setting for the wedding reception of Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy in 1953.

Jacqueline Bouvier, and John F. Kennedy in 1953

More than two decades later, Hammersmith Farm became part of another significant moment in history when Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty handled its sale as Sotheby’s first-ever real estate transaction.

It was a fitting beginning. An internationally recognized auction house known for representing exceptional art, antiques, and collections had entered the world of distinguished real estate, and one of its earliest chapters unfolded along the shores of Newport.