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Unused official Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics torch, constructed of wood, iron, and copper, measuring an impressive 60″ in length, designed by André Steenbuch Marandon and Paal Christian Kahrs, and manufactured by Paal J. Kahrs Arkitekter AS. Resembling that of a sheath knife, the torch is highlighted by its long birchwood handle that symbolizes Norwegian tradition, with the upper section consisting of a polished aluminum blade that conversely reflects the nation’s industrial modernity and technology. The base of the burner is engraved with the logo of the XVII Olympic Winter Games, and the upper and lower sections of the inner copper plate feature several event pictograms. To contrast its martial appearance, the torch’s supple, elongated shape and considerable length were chosen with the view of forming a harmonious extension between the torch and its bearer—its creators bestowed it with the poetic name ‘Noble.’ The bottom of the handle is marked "185."
The torch bears a crack to where the burner meets the wood, the blade has a small ding and light scuffing, and the handle shows scattered soot marks—given the torch’s strikingly rugged design, none of the mentioned ‘flaws’ should be deemed as imperfections, nor do they detract from its overall awesome impression.
The flame of the XVIIth Olympic Winter Games was lit in Olympia, Greece, on January 16, 1994, and, with the use of 350 torches and 6,916 torchbearers, traveled 18,000 kilometers (11,000 miles) over the course of 27 days to the Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena in Lillehammer, Norway. It was the sixth Winter torch relay to have more than one route, which included a visit to the Arctic Circle and the premiere instance of a torch being passed between two parachutists. Before Prince Haakon lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony, Stein Gruben astounded spectators in spectacular and fiery fashion when he launched from the ski jump with the torch in hand. Nearly the height of a human being, this massive, highly sought-after Olympic artifact holds the unique distinction of being the longest and thinnest torch in Olympic history.
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