Take Anna Anisimova, the 19-year-old Russian heiress and model, who to much fanfare rented the six-acre Southampton estate of Denise Rich, the songwriter, for $500,000.

In the Hamptons, where sticker shock is an art form, Denise Rich, the songwriter and Bill Clinton confidante, has rented out her Southampton estate, Swan's Way, for the season.

Mr. Gerulaitis, 40, died while napping in a pool-house bedroom at the Southampton, L.I., estate of Martin Raynes, a Manhattan real estate executive.

In 1932, Torney, described in the press as a "millionaire industrial engineer," was the target of a blackmail plot by the former gardener at his Southampton estate.

The 532 feet of oceanfront and 6.32 acres of Southampton real estate don't hurt either.

It was donated along with several other pieces in the late 1960's when a large Southampton estate was sold off, Ms. Giles said.

Mr. Gerulaitis, 40, whose flamboyant career was shadowed by drug abuse and financial problems, was found dead last Sept. 18 in a cottage near a pool on the exclusive Southampton oceanfront estate of a friend.

He'd spent two days and nights doing just that in a hidden observation post across the road from Covello's Southampton estate.

He spoke German, Spanish and French fluently, read Greek and Latin and divided his time between New York and his Southampton, L.I., estate.

In late 2000 he put his Southampton estate, Elysium, on the market for $45 million.