Sought-after official 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics torch used during the Olympic relay, comprised of aluminum with a maple handle, measuring 23.5″ in length, emblazoned on the handle with pictograms of ten Winter Olympic sports. The top inscribed with raised text in English and French, “XV Olympic Winter Games Calgary Alberta Canada 1988,” with underside of bowl engraved: “COA/A.O.C. 1979-1986”; the ball at the base of the handle is engraved with the Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius.” The bowl, handle, and base feature some slight scattered marks. Included with the torch is the original black carrying bag and a group of 20 replacement torch wicks.
Designed by the National Research Council of Canada, the torch was made to resemble the Calgary Tower, an iconic landmark in the Canadian city. The torch relay, called 'Share the Flame,' was an enormous event, with approximately 6,500 torchbearers drawn from an application pool of over six million. After the lighting ceremony in Olympia, the flame was flown to Newfoundland and then traveled 18,000 km through Canada over 88 days. Unlike many relays, the torches were shared and thus only about one hundred and fifty were manufactured. An exceptional example of what is one of the most sought-after modern Olympic torches.
