CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Media Release
October
22nd, 2008
OLYMPIC TORCH FROM 1956 A RARE FIND
Few items of Olympic memorabilia shine more brightly
than the Olympic torch. In more recent Olympics the
torch has become a ubiquitous presence, but 50 years ago
it was a different story.
An extremely rare example from the 1956 Melbourne
Olympics is being offered for sale from the private
collection of Philip Miskin, mayor of the Olympic Village.
It was the first Olympic Games to be held in the Southern
Hemisphere, and despite being dubbed the ‘Friendly
Games’ it was held against the backdrop of the Suez
Crisis and the Hungarian Uprising.
The 1956 Melbourne Olympic torch is being offered for
sale by Leski Auctions on Thursday, November 6th at
5.30pm. It has a pre-sale estimate of $8,000 - $10,000.
“Very few torches of the immediate post-war era have
come up for auction,” says Charles Leski. “Any serious
collector of Olympic memorabilia would consider the
Melbourne Olympic torch in particular to be an important
addition to their collection.”
NB: The 1956 Olympic torch is part of an
extraordinary collection of Olympic memorabilia
from the estate of Philip Miskin, Commandant
(mayor) of the Olympic Village. The Miskin
Collection comprises 64 lots with a pre-sale estimate
of $50,000 - $70,000 and is regarded as the most
extensive collection of its type in private hands.
CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
About Leski Auctions
Leski Auctions was established in 1973 and is one of Australia’s leading auctioneers of Sporting Memorabilia,
Australiana, Collectibles and World Philately.
Leski Auctions is a recognised leader in the area of early photography, art, wine, cameras, books, autographs,
entertainment memorabilia, medals, coins, stamps, aerophilately, cigarette and trade cards, maps, railway
memorabilia, advertising artwork and posters, and the Olympics, football and cricket..
It was the first auction house in Australia to introduce an on-line, real-time bidding system ‘Live Bid Online’™,
which allows participation from anywhere in the world. It currently runs 22 auctions per year.
Leski Auctions has previously sold many significant collections, including those of Shirley Strickland, Ron Clarke,
Sir Reginald Ansett and former RSL President, Bruce Ruxton. It has sold more ‘baggy green’ caps than any other
auction house in the world, and is one of the largest auctioneers of cricket memorabilia by value and volume.
Leski Auctions recently sold the newly-discovered Phar Lap horse tonic recipe book. It recently achieved a world
record price for a Bradman bat.
Managing Director Charles Leski is a registered valuer for the Cultural Gifts Program through the Department of
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. He is also the valuer of the displayed items at the National Sports
Museum at the MCG, Melbourne.
The company is located at 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Australia. Telephone +61-3-864 9999 and
Issued by:
Charles Leski, Leski Auctions
Michael Krape, Michael Krape Consulting
Tel: 61-3-9864 9999
Tel: 0403 135 880
charles@leski.com.au
michaelkrape@krape.com.au
NEWS 
