Original Eiffel Tower Spiral Staircase Fragment to be Auctioned by Artcurial in May

On May 21, Artcurial will auction a portion of the original spiral staircase from the Eiffel Tower, with an estimated worth between $141,000 and $176,000. This nine-foot segment features 14 restored steel steps and once linked the second and third floors, allowing Gustave Eiffel access to his 1,076-square-foot office. Constructed for the 1889 Paris World's Fair, the Eiffel Tower held the title of the tallest structure in the world until 1929. In 1983, the staircase was taken apart and separated into 24 pieces, with some exhibited at the Musée d'Orsay and the Statue of Liberty. The current owner, a businessman, acquired this fragment in 1983. The tower attracts nearly seven million visitors each year.