Well - you could view it that way . . . or you could hope that someone found it and put it to its intended use and it is now part of someone's valued collection and treasured. It might or might not be true but wouldn't you feel a little better with that assumption rather than the other?
Just a though. Looks like it was really gorgeous work. It's a shame that you didn't get to benefit from your efforts in any case.

ChuckT