An ultra-rare 1960 Winter Olympics torch was the star of Bonhams' Voices of the 20th Century sale on December 7.

The lot realised $150,000.

This is one of only 23 1960 Winter Olympic torches

Only 23 of these torches, designed by Disney animator John Hench, were ever made.

It bears the words "Olympia to Squaw Valley", in reference to the route that the carriers were intended to travel.

However, at the last minute it was decided that the torch would be lit in Norway (the site of the last Winter Olympics) and flown to Los Angeles.

From there it was carried to Squaw Valley, a journey of 19 days.

This is one of the most sought after Olympic torches, in part due to the Disney connection but also in regards to its extreme rarity.

The 1952 Helsinki Summer Games torch is even more valuable.

One of these sold for a record £420,000 ($532,677) at Graham Budd Auctions last year.

A road sign for the French town of Bastogne, where the Battle of the Bulge was fought, realised $43,750.

The assault was Germany's final offensive of the war and caught the Americans off guard.

The latter found themselves encircled in Bastogne for five days in the freezing December weather before the cavalry arrived in the form of General Patton's 4th Armoured Division.