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156-year-old Murray Hill townhouse was last week's most expensive sale

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The 25-foot home has a music room worthy of Carnegie Hall musicians

A stately 19th-century townhouse at 21 East 37th Street went into contract last week, beating out a historic Tribeca apartment for most expensive contract of the week, according to Olshan Realty’s latest luxury market report.

But then, this 25-foot-wide, five-story abode is no ordinary residence. Last listed for $14.5 million, the home dates back to 1860, when prominent New York attorney John Trevor, Sr., had the place built across the street from his boss, J.P. Morgan. (It was finished in 1862.)

In addition to great views of the famed Morgan Library, originally designed to house Morgan’s extensive book collection and still a major cultural institution today, the home offers an endless roster of architectural details, from elaborately ornamented ceilings, “exceptional wainscoting,” marble wood-burning fireplaces, and a curved staircase leading to an open rooftop.

With seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, multiple living spaces, and assorted kitchenettes, the home is overwhelmingly spacious, but the pièce de résistance is the music room. According to the listing, the room’s acoustics are so exceptional that Carnegie Hall-bound musicians have dropped by to test out their programs.