The torch used to ignite the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics flame is up for auction. The iconic artifact, designed by Disney Imagineer John Hench, is currently listed on RR Auction, with bidding set to close on July 18.
At the time of writing, the top bid for this rare Olympic torch had reached $137,500, with expectations that it could fetch up to $500,000 by the auction’s end. The torch’s design features three Olympic ring cutouts around its bowl, along with inscriptions commemorating the “VIII Olympic Winter Games” and the journey from “Olympia to Squaw Valley.” Squaw Valley was renamed Palisades Tahoe in 2021.
“Incredibly rare, highly sought-after torch of the Squaw Valley 1960 Winter Olympicsโone of the rarest Olympic torches ever made
Excessively rare official torch of the Squaw Valley 1960 Winter Olympics, marked as number “10” on the bottom of the handle, comprised of silver aluminum and measuring 19ห long, considered to be among the rarest and most valuable of all Olympic torches. Inspired by the Ralph Lavers design of the torches used in 1948 and 1956, this torch was designed by legendary Disney ‘imagineer’ John Hench, and features three Olympic rings cutouts around the bowl, above a circular legend: “VIII Olympic Winter Games.” Below is the Squaw Valley Games emblem between two branches and the legend “Olympia to Squaw Valley.” The burner wick remains in place. The torch exhibits some minor scuffing to the bowl and handle. Consignor notes that this was acquired from the estate of a California state employee who was responsible for for the safety of the of the torch runners.
Interestingly, Walt Disney served as chairman of the Pageantry Committee for the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, whose duties included the organization of the torch relay. One of his Disney artists, John Hench, designed the torch, the 16-foot snow-sculptures that lined the Avenue of Athletes, and the massive, 79-foot-tall Tower of Nations that marked the staging area where the opening and closing ceremonies were held.
The torch’s legend, “Olympia to Squaw Valley,” indicates the route originally envisioned for the relay preceding the VIII Olympic Winter Games. However, the Hellenic Olympic Committee, informed a month before the Games, did not have enough time to organize a lighting ceremony at the traditional site. Instead, the Olympic flame was lit in Morgedal, Norway, at the home of the ‘father of modern skiing,’ Sondre Norheim, then transported by car to Copenhagen via Oslo. The flame was then flown to Los Angeles, where the relay carried it north through Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, San Francisco, and Sacramento, before arriving at Squaw Valley.
On the day of the Opening Ceremony, the torch was carried by American skier Andrea Mead Lawrence, who was accompanied by eight members of the National Ski Patrol. The flame was passed to the last torchbearer, skater Kenneth Charles Henry, who did a lap of the ice in front of the Blyth Memorial Arena before lighting the cauldron in which the flame would burn throughout the Games.”
The torch’s provenance adds to its allure. After the Games, it remained in the possession of a California state employee responsible for the torch runners’ safety. Its journey during the 1960 Olympics was notable, with American skier Andrea Mead Lawrence carrying it during the Opening Ceremony, accompanied by eight members of the National Ski Patrol. The final torchbearer, skater Kenneth Charles Henry, completed a lap of the ice at Blyth Memorial Arena before lighting the Olympic cauldron.
This auction presents a rare opportunity for collectors and Olympic enthusiasts to own a significant piece of Winter Games history. The torch’s connection to the Olympics and Disney’s creative influence makes it a uniquely valuable item in sports memorabilia.
Squaw Valley Torch Facts and Figures (from Olympics.com)
- Start date: 31 January 1960, Morgedal (Norway)
- End date: 18 February 1960, Blyth Memorial Arena, Squaw Valley (United States)
- First torchbearer: Olav Nordskog, a young Norwegian skier
- Last torchbearers: Kenneth Charles Henry, Olympic participant in speed skating (1948, 1952, 1956), gold medallist in Oslo 1952
- Number of torchbearers: More than 600
- Countries visited: Norway, Denmark, United States
Torch Details
- Description: The torch recalls the model of Melbourne in 1956, Cortina dโAmpezzo in 1956, and London in 1948. It bore the inscription: โVIII Olympic Winter Games 1960 Olympia to Squaw Valleyโ.
- Colour: Silver
- Length: 48.5cm
- Composition: Aluminium
- Fuel: Bottled propane gas
- Designer / Manufacturer: John Hench, Ralph Lavers
