LONDON: A drop of Mahatma Gandhi’s blood is now up for sale. The largest collection of memorabilia relating to Gandhi — including his personal prayer beads from which he was inseparable, will, power of attorney to his son and a personal copy of the Ramayana — will soon go under the hammer. London-based auctioneers Mullocks will put up 50 objects belonging to Gandhi for auction on May 21. The list includes “a fragment of Gandhi’s blood — on a sliver of a microscope slide”. Donated by Gandhi, when he was in convalescence after an operation for appendicitis, to Sumati Morarjee in 1924, it is expected to fetch £15,000. “This is by far the largest collection of memorabilia relating to Mahatma Gandhi ever to be offered for sale,” Mullocks’ historical documents expert Richard Westwood-Brookes told TOI.
“We expect the 50 objects belonging to Gandhi to fetch at least a quarter of a million pounds. The items have come from all over the world.” Other objects that will be up for sale include Gandhi’s trademark leather sandals, his favourite shawl, made from linen thread he spun himself, his bed sheet, his personal bowl with fork and spoon, and his personal drinking cup. “A remarkable artefact showing how Gandhi kept with him the philosophical message carried by the figures of the [three wise] monkeys at all times will also be auctioned,” Westwood-Brookes said. Gandhi’s power of attorney to his son — signed by him in November 1920 and written on four pages along with various Bank of Baroda and Bank of India stamps as well as the seal of the sub-registrar of Ahmedabad — will also be sold. It is expected to fetch £40,000.
Several important letters written by Gandhi, too, will go under the hammer. The auction will include a rare British Parliament paper declaring Gandhi a “terrorist” in 1932. The paper devotes considerable discussion to the Civil Disobedience Movement and Gandhi, and refers to the campaign as a “terrorist movement”. In February Mullocks had sold a letter by Gandhi – “a plea for freedom” when he was detained by British forces in 1943 – for a record £115,000.London: A drop of Mahatma Gandhi’s blood is now up for sale. The largest collection of memorabilia relating to Gandhi – including his personal prayer beads from which he was inseparable, will, power of attorney to his son and a personal copy of the Ramayana – will soon go under the hammer. London-based auctioneers Mullocks will put up 50 objects belonging to Gandhi for auction on May 21. The list includes “a fragment of Gandhi’s blood – on a sliver of a microscope slide”.
Donated by Gandhi, when he was in convalescence after an operation for appendicitis, to Sumati Morarjee in 1924, it is expected to fetch £15,000. “This is by far the largest collection of memorabilia relating to Mahatma Gandhi ever to be offered for sale,” Mullocks’ historical documents expert Richard Westwood-Brookes told TOI. “We expect the 50 objects belonging to Gandhi to fetch at least a quarter of a million pounds. The items have come from all over the world.” Other objects that will be up for sale include Gandhi’s trademark leather sandals, his favourite shawl, made from linen thread he spun himself, his bed sheet, his personal bowl with fork and spoon, and his personal drinking cup. “A remarkable artefact showing how Gandhi kept with him the philosophical message carried by the figures of the [three wise] monkeys at all times will also be auctioned,” Westwood-Brookes said.