IGP DISU PAYS OPERATIONAL VISIT TO AKWA IBOM, PRESIDES OVER PASSING-OUT CEREMONY OF 1,068 RETRAINED CONSTABLES. (PHOTOS). #PRESS RELEASE.
A 137-year-old section of the Eiffel Tower’s original spiral staircase is set to be auctioned next May, offering buyers a rare chance to own part of one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. The nine-foot-tall piece, which includes 14 steps, once connected the second level of the tower to its summit before the staircase was dismantled in 1983 during modernization work to install elevators.
The staircase was originally divided into 24 sections, with some pieces donated to museums and others sold to private collectors. The section now going up for sale is currently owned by a French businessman who has kept it in storage for decades after acquiring it in the original auction. It has since been restored by specialists who maintain the Eiffel Tower.
Auction officials describe the piece as a rare historical artifact tied not only to the tower’s engineering legacy but also to its cultural significance, noting its place in a structure that was once fiercely criticized before becoming a global symbol of Paris. Estimated to sell for between about $146,000 and $176,000, the staircase fragment has previously seen similar sections fetch even higher prices, including a record sale in 2016.
The upcoming auction is expected to draw international interest from private collectors, institutions, and companies seeking a distinctive historical display piece, as demand remains strong for original elements of the landmark designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair.
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