Fall Premier Auction 2017
Wed, Oct 18, 2017 04:00PM EDT - Sat, Nov 4, 2017 11:00PM EDT
Timed Auction
Lot 701
1964 TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES TORCH - RARE COMPLETE EXAMPLE WITH BOWL, CYLINDER & ORIGINAL BOX
Unsold
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $200 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $30,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $25,000 |
| $500,000 | $50,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $100,000 |
| $1,500,000 | $150,000 |
The 1964 Tokyo Games was the first Olympiad to take place in Asia.Torches from these Games are among the scarcest of Summer Olympic torchesto surface in the hobby. An complete example like this one with its bowl cylinder and original one intact is especially rare. TheOlympic flame began its journey in Olympia Greece and traveled to 11Asian cities before arriving in Okinawa Japan and ultimately makingits way to Tokyo. The relay lasted 51 days and covered a total of 26065km. There were 870 torchbearers outside Japan but the exact numberwithin the host nation is unknown. Although a typhoon and various planeissues caused a one-day delay during the relay the triumphant final legby Yoshinori Sakai through Tokyo's National Olympic Stadium on October10 1964 served as a defining moment for post-war Japan.
Designed by Munemichi Yanagi and manufactured by Nippon Light Metal Co.this torch was used in the relay and comes complete with its bowl (handle base) and cylinder(burning attachment) and even its original bowl box. In most cases the box and cylinder are both missing. Designed like a coal-mine safety lamp the 1964Tokyo torch was filled with priming powder and fumigant a two-componentignition material that needed to be wind and rain resistant. The bowl is made of blackened aluminum alloy. Itscircular top measures 17 cm (6.75") across and is engraved "XVIIIOLYMPIAD TOKYO 1964" with the interlocking Olympic rings. The verybottom of the handle is inscribed "NIKKEI YANAGI." The bowl/handle pieceis 19 cm (7.5") tall. The cylinder is clad with stainless steel andmeasures 54 cm (21.5"); when inserted into the bowl the completetorch stands close to 65 cm (25.5"). The clean portion of the cylinderbears the 1964 Tokyo Games logo with "SHOWA KASEIHIN CO. 3-1964"inscribed at the lower end both of which are hidden when inserted intothe bowl.
The aluminum bowl has a few scratch marks. The cylinder shows more wear with darkening (i.e. burning) on the upper end. It is not bent but does have a small 1-inch dent in the center that is conveniently hidden by glare. Overallthe torch presents in EX-MT condition. It comes with its original square cardboard box that holds just the bowl. The gray box has the Tokyo Games logo on the outside with other key descriptors labeled jut under the opening. A wonderful set for Olympic collectors.
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