Now, you know it used to be good to be an Astor. They had millions of dollars and were pinnacles of society, etc., etc. But in light of all the trouble surrounding the late Brooke Astor's estate, we thought it might be nice to look at exactly how good it used to be. The timing couldn't be better – just this week one of the most famous old Astor mansions (not owned by Brooke, but by her husband Vincent's ancestors) went on sale in Newport for $16 million. The fifteen-bedroom, eight-bath palace called "Beechwood" was a mere summer home for Vincent's grandparents. It was partially there, during grand parties, that Caroline Astor created her famous "400," a gathering of the most prominent members of society. We found photos of the place on broker Lila Delman's Website. As you look at the extra pics after the jump, you may find yourself wondering why they called it "Beechwood." We, of course, would have called it "Versailles."

R.I. Mansion for Sale, All You Need Is $16 Million [Boston Globe]
Lila Delman Real Estate [Listing]