Rare heavyweight prototype of the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics torch. Comprised of aluminum with a maple handle, the torch measures 24.5″ in length and 7″ at its widest point, with the top inscribed with the games emblem and raised text in English and French, “XV Olympic Winter Games, Calgary Alberta Canada, 1988.” This robust preliminary torch was designed by the National Research Council of Canada and made to resemble the Calgary Tower, an iconic landmark in the Canadian city. Although they outwardly appear quite similar, there exists a variety of notable differences between this larger mock-up and the final, more user-friendly result. The prototype is larger and heavier—length (24.5″ to 23.5″), width (7″ to 6.5″), weight (4.75 lbs to 2.7 lbs)—and is also missing engravings to the underside of the bowl and to the ball at the base of the handle, which is likewise not emblazoned with pictograms of Winter Olympic sports; the girth and color of the handle, in addition to the number and spacing of its etched rings, is markedly different. The bowl itself does not appear polished like its successor, with its eight upper burner holes recessed, unlike the four protruding wick casements present on the final burner. Also, the bowl appears bolt-attached, whereas the bowl to the relay-used torch utilizes a twist-spring action release. The prototype features a few light scuffs and marks to the upper handle and underside of the bowl. Accompanied by a custom-made torch stand.
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—with this heavy early example one of an unknown preliminary batch.
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