This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2016
Featured here is a 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics torch used in the relay. The 1992 Summer Games torch relay began in Olympia, Greece and carried the Olympic flame 6,307 km
over 51 days to the host city in the Catalan region of Spain. 8,885 torchbearers ran with the flame in Spain and a total of 6,500 torches were produced, according to the Olympic Museum website. Beginning in 1994, the International Olympic Committee decided to alternate the Summer and Winter Games every two years, making Barcelona the last Summer Games to take place the same year as the Winter Olympics. It was also the first Games unaffected by boycotts since 1972. The U.S. Men's Basketball "Dream Team" was one of the biggest stories at Barcelona, featuring a team of NBA superstars for the first time that dominated the competition en route to the gold medal.
Designed by André Ricard and manufactured by Kromschröder, the torch is made of chrome-plated aluminum and plastic. It measures 67 cm (26") long and the round platform on top is 17.5 cm (6.75") in diameter. The silver stem/handle has "XXV OLIMPIADA BARCELONA 1992" scripted in gold-plating with the Barcelona Games emblem. The circular shape of the upper section is supposed to resemble a cauldron, while the conical and triangular shapes recall an amphora and the Latin sail to give it a more Mediterranean character. This torch comes with a round stand, 18 cm (7") in diameter, made of white-painted ceramic material that allows it to display sitting up an inch higher than normal. The stand screws into the very bottom of the torch and can easily be removed for those purists out there. The internal flame area on top shows signs of being lit, but there is little darkening from combustion visible on the surrounding platform. There is some significant wear on the black handle grip area at the lower end. The chrome maintains a nice shine throughout. Overall, the torch presents wonderfully in NM-MT condition.