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Boston’s Tiffany Ayer Mansion can now be yours for less than $15 million

Owning the Back Bay landmark would be like living in “a Tiffany-designed jewel box.”

A view of the staircase in the entry hall of Boston's Ayer Mansion, the only standing home left that was completely designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.Yoon S. Byun

Back Bay’s Ayer Mansion, a Commonwealth Ave. landmark known for boasting top-to-bottom Tiffany designs, is for sale — still.

And now, one year after it first hit the market, it can be yours for less than $15 million.

The townhouse, built in 1902 for textile magnate Frederick Ayer, is the only surviving home featuring handiwork by famed designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, both on the inside and outside.

A showcase for an artist celebrated for his lamps, jewelry, and stained-glass, the roughly 15,000-square-foot mansion is regarded as a gem of the Back Bay, standing out for its granite facade studded with mosaic panels, and its ornately-tiled central hall and proscenium arch.

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The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million. Greg Premru
The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million. Greg Premru

At five stories, the impressive home, which the Globe was given a tour of recently, features a rooftop with panoramic views of Back Bay and the Boston skyline.

The mansion was named a National Historic Landmarkin 2005, and has benefitted for decades from painstaking restoration efforts.

It was first listed back in May of 2022 for $17 million. It’s currently listed at $14,995,000 after a price drop in November.

For the past year, the hunt has been on for a private buyer to take responsibility for the historic home. While the grand hall on the first floor, as well as the hand-laid Tiffany tiles and stained glass found throughout, are protected by a preservation restriction that requires they not be altered, the upper floors of the building are ripe for renovation.

For decades it had served as the home of a women’s dormitory, so a significant portion of the livable space has the look and feel of a college dorm — albeit one with an oval staircase and four-story chandelier. Hacin, a Boston design firm, has created renderings of how a new owner might remodel the space.

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The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for just less than $15 million.Greg Premru
A rendering of the drawing room at the Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for just less than $15 million.Hacin
The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million.Greg Premru
A rendering of the library at the Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany.Hacin

On Tuesday, the Boston Preservation Alliance held a curated tour of the property for a group of supporters of the nonprofit’s mission to protect historic buildings.

“I’d call this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personalize a Tiffany-designed jewel box into your own, one-of-a-kind space,” said Matthew Dickey, BPA’s communications director, adding that the building “is not only unique to Boston but unique to the world.”

It’s being sold by Boston real estate firm LandVest, whose goal is “to find a great next steward for this masterpiece of design,” said Ruth Kennedy Sudduth, the company’s vice chairwoman.

“By bringing together a top-flight construction and design team, the Ayer Mansion is ready for its next century,” she said.

The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million. Greg Premru
The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million.Greg Premru
The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million. Greg Premru
The Ayer Mansion, a Back Bay landmark and the country's only building designed inside and out by Tiffany, is for sale for less than $15 million.Greg Premru

Spencer Buell can be reached at spencer.buell@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerBuell.