Lot 358

Eiffel Tower Stairway Section #6, Unique and Rare!

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Eiffel Tower Stairway Section #6, Unique and Rare!

Estimate: $50,000 - $75,000

Current Bid: $16,000

(1 Bid)

January 29, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Eiffel Tower
Paris, France, ca. 1889
Eiffel Tower Stairway Section #6, Unique and Rare!
Other
Locally nicknamed "La dame de fer", the Eiffel Tower rises above the City of Lights as a symbol of romance and human engineering, resting triumphantly on the Champ de Mars in Paris, beckoning the eye to behold its romance and wonder. Here offered is stairway section #6 from the Eiffel Tower, the most famous tower in the world. This original is a section of the staircase that was dismantled in 1983. It measures approximately 13 feet, 6 inches in length and 6 feet, 8 inches in width. Twenty pieces were sold to private collections, three were donated to French museums, and the last was put on display on the first floor of the Paris landmark dubbed the "Iron Lady".

Provenance: Copy of letter dated March 1, 2005, from Paul Sevoian, president of Sevoy Antiques International, regarding ownership of staircase section #6, with copy of newspaper article regarding auction, and catalog from auction sale in Paris in December of 1983.

The wrought-iron lattice tower, named after Gustave Eiffel, who endeavored with his company to construct this global icon from 1887 to 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair, stands amongst the most recognized structures in the world. Constructed of 7,300 tons of iron, the tower, erected in commemoration of the centennial of the French Revolution, it has thus turned into a beacon calling travelers, romantics, and Francophiles to bathe in the beauty and wonder of Paris.

Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) was a civil engineer who first made his mark with bridges for the French railways, with the Garabit Viaduct his most prominent from that period. Eiffel made contributions to the Statue of Liberty, but all of his works are outshined by the 1,083-feet tall Eiffel Tower, which is the tallest structure in Paris and its most easily recognizable.

All of these factors combine in this offered staircase #6 from the Eiffel Tower. This rare piece of engineering and world history taken from the structure that stood as the world's tallest for 40 years features 12 steps and measures 13' 6". The winding-iron staircase is one of 24 sections removed from the tower during a renovation project that replaced the steps with an elevator.

This piece, in particular, connected the third floor (in France, called the second floor) to the top of the structure. As the ascent up the stairs was deemed minacious, Gustave Eiffel trekked with a group of intrepid notable guests to the top using the staircase, resulting in Gustave hanging a French flag and offering a tongue-and-cheek quote, "The French flag is the only one with a 300-metre pole."

The staircase, which went out of use by 1900, is mounted on a trailer containing a special cradle. A plaque mounted to the staircase reads, "Element N 6 Escalier D'Origine Tour Eiffel - 1899 - Tenu Lieu Sur et Public Sur La Tour Eiffel Le 1 Decembre 1983," in French. Translated to English, the plaque reads, "Element N. 6 Original Staircase Eiffel Tower - 1889 - Held On and Public On the Eiffel Tower on December 1, 1983." This is a genuine piece of engineering history, taken from one of the most important structures erected by humanity. The Eiffel Tower, erected to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution of 1789 and showcased as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair, serves as a beacon of freedom, romance, and artistic achievement, and the most recognizable structure on the planet. Though pieces are on display at the Statue of Liberty, fittingly, as it was one of Gustave's designs, another is showcased at the Eiffel Tower itself, and others housed in private collections and museums, this offering stands as the perfect display piece, one filled with undeniable history and eye appeal.

*THIS LOT REQUIRES THIRD PARTY SHIPPING. If you have any questions regarding this, please call our office at (203) 454-0111 before bidding.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

    Provenance:
  • Paris auction sale catalog to be provided to buyer with copies of letter by Paul Sevoian and news article regarding the Paris sale.
  • Dimensions:
  • 13' 6" x 6' 8"
  • Artist Name:
  • Eiffel Tower
  • Medium:
  • Other

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000