Game, Set, Matches

The LEGO Eiffel Tower is the tallest of its model kits and undoubtedly the largest of its Architecture Series. At a deliberate count of 10,001 pieces, this behemoth is a whole lot more detailed than LEGO’s 2014 original, which clocked in at a mere 321 pieces. So imagine my awe (okay, and shock) when I learned about another Eiffel Tower model; one with a staggering 700,000 pieces. Suddenly 10,000 seems like a nice, reasonable number.

Matchstick model

It’s true, of course.  A Frenchman recently converted 700,000 matches into a model of the Eiffel Tower, in an attempt to break the world record for, naturally, “tallest matchstick Eiffel Tower”. (Is there a world record for everything these days?)  I suppose I can get past the 700,000 matches – even if I can’t picture that many in one model – but what I can’t fathom is the eight years Richard Plaud sacrificed to build his creation. I’m picturing Monsieur Plaud waking up each morning, bidding adieu to his wife after a croissant and some French press coffee, and heading off to his studio to play with matches, a giant bottle of glue in hand.  Day after day after day.

Our Frenchman’s accomplishment wouldn’t be so interesting if there weren’t a little drama thrown in for spice.  Turns out his 23.6-foot model may not earn the world record after all.  Why?  Because Plaud cut the heads off the matchsticks as he built.  When he got tired of cutting, he contacted a French “matchmaker” (ha) and asked if he could place a massive order of headless matches.  And there’s the rub, fellow model builders.  Guinness is disputing Plaud’s claim of the world record because the materials used can’t be purchased by you or me, should we try to build our own matchstick Eiffel Tower (but would we?)

Meanwhile, a 21.6-foot Eiffel Tower model built by Toufic Daher (coolest name ever) retains the world record.  Daher’s model was completed in 2009 using six million (headed) matches.  I have no idea how long it took him to build, but seriously, how long does it take to simply pick up six million little sticks, let alone shape and glue them into a replica of the Eiffel Tower?

“La Dame de fer”

Gustave Eiffel (another cool name) surely had no idea people like Plaud and Daher would be obsessed with his tower 135 years after the fact, in pursuit of world records.  Frankly (“France-ly?”) Eiffel’s “Iron Lady” is impressive enough to stand on her own wrought-iron feet.  After all, she’s among the most recognizable structures in the world.  She surpassed the Washington Monument when she opened to the public in 1889, as “tallest human-made structure” (sadly, seventy years before Guinness started tallying world records). Today she still merits an entry in the world record book, albeit for a different reason:”Most Visited Monument with an Entrance Fee”.

There’s a touch of iron-y to this post.  As much as I’m making blog fodder of these Eiffel Tower model builders, I’m tempted to become one myself.  Not with headless matchsticks; the LEGO version.  Several years ago I completed the LEGO U.S. Capitol Building (1,032 pieces), followed by the LEGO Grand Piano (3,662 pieces), and more recently, LEGO Fallingwater (811 pieces).  I keep an eye on the LEGO catalog for other models of interest but not one calls to me… except La Dam de fer.  But then I pause to ask myself, am I really willing to dive into a project that’s effectively one hundred bags of one hundred pieces each, where ever single piece dark grey?  Stay tuned.

LEGO’s version

As for our French ami Richard Plaud, his eight years of pick-up sticks may not have been in vain after all.  Guinness admits they might’ve been a little quick to dismiss his claim.  In their words, they wanted to make sure “the playing field is level for everyone”.  Playing field?  Ah, so this Eiffel Tower model-building is a game, is it?  For Plaud at least, I’d call it game, set, matches.

Some content sourced from the USA Today article, “8 years down the drain?…”, and Wikipedia, “the free encyclopedia”.

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Author: Dave

Five hundred posts would suggest I have something to say… This blog was born from a desire to elevate the English language, highlighting eloquent words from days gone by. The stories I share are snippets of life itself, and each comes with a bonus: a dusted-off word I hope you’ll go on to use more often. Read “Deutschland-ish Improvements” to learn about my backyard European wish list. Try “Slush Fun” for the throwback years of the 7-Eleven convenience store. Or drink in "Iced Coffee" to discover the plight of the rural French cafe. On the lighter side, read "Late Night Racquet Sports" for my adventures with our latest moth invasion. As Walt Whitman said, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” Here then, my verse. Welcome to Life In A Word.

24 thoughts on “Game, Set, Matches”

  2. The Eiffel Tower made of matchsticks is a beautiful recreation of the original. Sorry that it is probably not going to make it into the record books, on a technicality. IF you decide to take on building a LEGO Eiffel Tower, I’m going to wonder a bit about your sanity. It’ll be all gray pieces? Oh, I can’t even. 

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    1. Yes, 10,000 nondescript little plastic pieces, all the same color. And if the Grand Piano was any indication it’s easy to snap a piece in backwards (or upside down), where you don’t notice your mistake until you’re much further along on the model. Maddening and addicting, all at once.

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  3. I vote on you building the Eiffel Tower, with or without matches or Lego. I got it, pencils! You could buy thousands of pencils and glue them together with hot glue. We’ll have to find you a mini chop saw to cut the pencils to length, but it would work …

    I’ve got lots of ideas … some might even work … 😉

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  5. LEGO’s first Eiffel Tower was set 10181 released in 2007. It consisted of 3428 pieces and stood just over 2 feet tall at 25.7″. The Architecture series had not yet debuted, so it was released as an “Advanced Model” in the “Landmarks” series. Other sets in this line included the Statue of Liberty (2000), Taj Mahal (2008), and Tower Bridge (2010). In 2007 the retail price of 10181 was $199. As with many LEGO sets, 10181’s value increased after it was discontinued. Interestingly, when the monster Eiffel Tower referenced in this post, set 10307, was released in 2022 at $629.99 the value growth of 10181 began to slow but did not decline. To buy a new in sealed box version of 10181 from a U.S. seller would set you back about $1,300 today. Compare that with the Taj Mahal, set 10189, that sold for $299 when it was released in 2008. It was retired in 2010. By mid-2016, only six years later, its resale value soared to well over $2,000. In 2017, LEGO rereleased the Taj Mahal as set 10256. The price of 10189 plummeted. It can now be found new in sealed box for about $900 on the resale market.

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    1. It’s fascinating how collectors can affect the value (resale or otherwise) of something they must have to call their collection complete. I find the earlier “Landmark” models endearing for their “LEGO” look. The Grand Piano and the Eiffel Tower use anything but the traditional LEGO brick. I wouldn’t pay $1,300 for the original Tower but I’ll probably cave for the newer version.

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  7. The Guinness record authorities are such sticklers for any new record to be broken aren’t they? We had a huge gathering of Rosie the Riveters at an event in Michigan and the qualifications were stringent for such gathering/stats, etc. as I recall Dave – go for it and build that Eiffel Tower, especially since the Olympics will be held in Paris this year and also with tiny pieces of the Eiffel Tower to be embedded into the winning medals; this just makes it all the more reasons that you should build that Lego Eiffel Tower. In fact … build it and we will watch every week even though all gray pieces does sound a bit daunting!

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    1. My gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t draw the parallel between the LEGO model and this year’s Summer Olympics. That just might seal the deal with wanting to build it, Linda. Did not know they’re embedding bits of the real one into the medals – love that. As for world records, I’ll never (intentionally) pursue one, no matter what it’s for. I figure there’ll always be someone more obsessed/driven who ends up setting the record anyway.

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      1. I agree that the two go hand in hand to commemorate this year’s Paris Olympics. You must go for it Dave! Will you complete the Lego Eiffel Tower before/during/after the Paris Olympics? It does sound like a daunting task. At the very least, it is good blog fodder. I think it is very cool to embed pieces of the Eiffel Tower into the Olympic medals. There were pieces of the Eiffel Tower removed, preserved during a renovation and this is what will be used. Some of the Guinness world records are indeed someone’s obsession kicked up a notch or two.

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  9. That seems a weird technicality that you can’t buy the matches. Can’t he have his own record for tallest store-bought matchbook Eiffel Tower? Building your Lego Eiffel Tower seems like a good healthy habit. One time Jon’s mom bought us off brand lego helmets for our respective football teams and the pieces just didn’t go in together like real legos and they were tiny. Jon finished his but mine is still in the box after seeing his struggle.

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    1. Like your football helmet, I have a paper model of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House (Chicago) that will remain in it’s original booklet form, because you have to cut out the hundred-plus pieces by hand. No thanks. And I agree with you; Guinness needs to relax their standards. After all, you or I could place the same custom order of headless matches and give up eight years of our life and…. yeah, no 🙂

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  10. Props for the pun! Not sure I understand the Guinness obsession. It really does seem like there’s a record for everything. I guess if it’s super fun and cathartic, or something. Otherwise, I don’t quite get it. But, yay for him?

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    1. “Yay for him” indeed! I sense Guinness is gonna cave on their stance and he’ll get the record after all. As I told Lyssy above, nothing prevents you and I from placing our own custom order of headless matches and giving up eight years of our life too. It’s just we have much more important things to do with our time instead 🙂

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    1. I agree Ruth, life is too short for a project of this magnitude. If the LEGO Eiffel Tower is anything like the Grand Piano, it’ll be a welcome weekly diversion for only a few months.

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