You may not consider your arch a “fragment” — but the story reminded me of when we lived in Lower Manhattan (1978 – 1988) when The Washington Market area was discovered and reclaimed by artists and was eventually land-marked due to our diligent efforts. Among many interesting people in the area, a neighbor happened to learn about a massive metal eagle that once designated one of the many Shipping Piers on the West Side of Manhattan. (With the renewal of the West Side Highway, such things were pulled down and discarded. Sigh.) However, this one grand eagle had somehow languished somewhere, and our neighbor launched a vigorous ersatz campaign (pre-GoFundMe, pre-social media……….) to “Save The Cartouche!!!”.
It had never entered my mind that such a thing was called a cartouche. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Anyhow, through lots of hat-passing at local art bars, donations, and other forms of generosity and kindred love of (ahem) fragments…………the magnificent eagle is now installed in an auspicious place in Tribeca. I doubt that many people, these days, know the story of how it ended up there. But, now you do.

Some things get saved. Not everything. But when something is saved in an unexpected and glorious way, it just feels good. Another reason to enjoy Spitalfields Life!