Description:

Statue of Liberty
New York, NY, ca. 1883
Statue of Liberty Copper Section & Bartholdi Signed Postcard - Likely Only Authentic Piece of Statue Ever Offered in USA!
Relic

A remarkable framed display featuring a copper panel from the original Statue of Liberty, reading: "FRAGMENT DE CUIVRE DE LA STATUE COLOSSALE DE LA LIBERTE EXECUTEE PAR A. BARTHOLDI 1875-1883" which translates to: "Fragment of copper from the colossal Statue of Liberty executed by A. Bartholdi 1875–1883," and a beautiful postcard depicting the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, bearing an inscription and bold signature by the statue's creator, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. The inscription, written in French, reads: "Avec tous mes remerciments / pour vos cordiales félicitations," which translated to English reads: "With all my thanks / for your cordial congratulations," and is boldly signed "Bartholdi". The copper fragment measures 4" x 1," the postcard measures 5.75" x 3.25," and both are framed to an overall size of 10.5" x 17." The artifacts have not been examined out of frame, but display beautifully!

This is the first piece of the Statue of Liberty that we have ever offered. In fact, it is likely that this is one of, if not the only authentic pieces of the Statue of Liberty to ever be offered to the public at auction in the United States of America.

The construction of the Statue of Liberty began in France in 1875 and continued until 1884, with Frédéric Bartholdi leading the project and Gustave Eiffel engineering the internal iron framework. Crafted primarily from hammered copper sheets affixed over an iron skeleton, the statue was built in sections to allow for shipment and assembly. After being completed in Paris, it was disassembled, packed into over 200 crates, and transported across the Atlantic to New York. Reassembled on Liberty Island (then Bedloe's Island), the monument was officially dedicated on October 28, 1886. Today, it remains a universal symbol of freedom, hope, and the enduring friendship between France and the United States.

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (1834–1904) was a French sculptor renowned for his monumental works, most famously the Statue of Liberty. Trained at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Bartholdi specialized in large-scale public sculptures that combined technical innovation with symbolic meaning. His artistic vision for the Statue of Liberty reflected ideals of freedom, democracy, and Franco-American friendship. Over his lifetime, Bartholdi remained deeply committed to creating works that celebrated national pride and human rights, securing his legacy as one of the most important sculptors of the 19th century.

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.

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  • Dimensions: 10.5" x 17."
  • Medium: Relic

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

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June 4, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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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