Artifacts removed from the Statue of Liberty during its recent renovation are now for sale on eBay. The items up for bid include eighteen 10-inch pieces of Lady Liberty's original inner framework, so-called splice bars, used to connect metal beams inside Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's gift to the American people, which was erected in 1886. The auction also includes 25 original bricks salvaged from a renovation of the Great Hall on Ellis Island, the immigration center's main processing building, built in 1916.
The items are being auctioned by Gold Leaf Corp. of Fayetteville, Tenn., a company headed by investor and philanthropist John Stocks that was awarded a contract to remove items extracted during the renovation from Liberty Island. These items were "just piled in a heap and they were getting ready to throw it in the water and John said, 'Wait, wait, wait, wait!"' said Gold Leaf spokesman, Carl Malek.
Prices for these almost-discarded items start at $25,000 for one brick. Details may be found here.
My thanks to Megan Smolenyak for telling me about this article.
