A piece of a staircase from the Eiffel Tower sold at auction for 85,000 euros (124,000 dollars) in Paris on Monday.

The 7.8-metre chunk of the tower’s spiral staircase, containing 40 steps, was part of a larger piece removed from the tower in 1983.

It was bought on Monday by an ironworker from the town of Troyes, east of Paris, during a sale of Paris-themed souvenirs at the Drouot auction house.

The Armani 5th Avenue store in New York City, designed by Massimiliano & Doriana Fuksas Architects, opened last week.

The central feature of the 4-storey store is a sculptural steel staircase.