in 1899, seligman bought 17 kensington palace gardens, london, a grand mansion built in the north italian villa style, near arthur strauss mp (charles conybeare's parliamentary successor), who lived down at the end of the tree-lined boulevard at no. 1 kensington palace gardens. at that time, seligman's principal home, now part of london's billionaire's row, had at least four reception rooms and 13 bedrooms.