Spring Premier Auction 2018
Wed, Mar 7, 2018 04:00PM EST - Sat, Mar 24, 2018 11:00PM EDT
Timed Auction
Lot 470
1964 TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPICS USED TORCH COMPLETE WITH HOLDER, BURNER & ORIGINAL BOX
Unsold
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $10 |
| $200 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $30,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
| $300,000 | $25,000 |
| $500,000 | $50,000 |
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were the first Games hosted in Asia. Torches from this Olympiad are among the scarcest of Summer Olympic torches and a complete example like this one with its bowl cylinder and original one intact is especially rare. The Olympic flame began its journey in Olympia Greece and traveled to 11 Asian cities before arriving in Okinawa Japan and ultimately making its way to Tokyo. The relay lasted 51 days and covered a total of 26065 km. There were 870 torchbearers outside Japan but the exact number within the host nation is unknown. Although a typhoon and various plane issues caused a one-day delay during the relay the triumphant final leg by Yoshinori Sakai through Tokyo's National Olympic Stadium on October 10 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 1964 Tokyo torch was filled with priming powder and fumigant a two-component ignition material that needed to be wind and rain resistant. The bowl is made of blackened aluminum alloy. Its circular top measures 17 cm (6.75") across and is engraved "XVIII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1964" with the interlocking Olympic rings. The very bottom of the handle is inscribed "NIKKEI YANAGI." The bowl/handle piece is 19 cm (7.5") tall. The cylinder is clad with stainless steel and measures 54 cm (21.5"); when inserted into the bowl the complete torch stands close to 65 cm (25.5"). The clean portion of the cylinder bears the 1964 Tokyo Games logo with "SHOWA KASEIHIN CO. 3-1964" inscribed at the lower end both of which are hidden when inserted into the 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. Overall the 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 complete set for Olympic collectors.
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