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A 14-step section of the original spiral staircase from the Eiffel Tower has sold for €450,160 ($522,343) at an auction held by Artcurial in Paris, significantly exceeding its estimated value.
The historic piece, measuring 2.75 meters in height and weighing approximately 1.4 tonnes, originates from the iron staircase designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair. The structure once connected the tower’s second and third levels.
Auctioneers had estimated the item would sell for between €120,000 and €150,000, making the final hammer price nearly three times higher than expected.
The staircase segment is one of several fragments from the original spiral staircase that was dismantled in the 1980s during modernization works on the tower. Following its removal, the staircase was divided into sections and gradually sold through international auctions.
Over the decades, these components have become highly sought-after collector’s items, acquired by private collectors and institutions worldwide. Previous sales have reached similarly high figures, including a 2008 auction in which another section reportedly sold for around €553,000.
Other portions of the original staircase are now believed to be located in private collections and public displays across several countries, including the United States and Japan.
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