Bonhams 1793 : The first 1948 Olympic torch carried on British soil

Cast alloy crown, with pierced Olympic rings and embossed "XlVth Olympiad 1948 Olympia to London with thanks to the Bearer", the bearers name engraved to crown 'S.H.DOBLE', set on a solid turned alloy shaft and complete with burner retaining shaft, with additional protective metal cover with a tissue flame to the top. This torch was the first carried on British soil at Dover by bearer S.Doble. The lot includes a letter dated 7th July from the 1948 Olympic Organising Committee inviting the bearer to take part and a collection of newspaper clippings featuring the story.
Approx. 410mm high.

Estimate:

£4,000 - 6,000
US$ 6,000 - 9,100
€4,700 - 7,000

Footnotes

Butcher Sid Doble carried the Olympic torch on the first leg of its journey from Greece for the 1948 games in London - one of more than 1500 runners who relayed the flame on its 2100 mile passage. The Torch was brought to Dover by the Destroyer Bicester, then carried ashore by Chief Petty Officer Herbert Barnes and handed to Sid on the seafront before starting its journey to London.