A historic segment of the Eiffel Tower has changed hands
A part of the iconic staircase of the Eiffel Tower was sold at an auction in Paris for the impressive sum of 450,160 euros. The auction house Artcurial announced that the buyer is a private French collector.
The 2.75-meter-high segment is part of the original spiral staircase, installed in 1889, which connected the second and third floors of the monument.
The initial estimate for the lot was between 120,000 and 150,000 euros, but the final price far exceeded expectations. In 1983, due to the installation of an elevator, the original staircase was dismantled and cut into 24 parts.
Where are the other parts located?
- In the gardens of the Yoishii Foundation in Japan
- Near the Statue of Liberty in New York
- In the Disneyland theme park
- In various private collections around the world
This is not the first time parts of the tower have been sold. In 2016, another segment was sold for 523,800 euros, and in 2008, a record of 552,750 euros was set for a part of the staircase.