Mahatma Gandhi's daily use prison cutlery and bowl to be auctioned in UK

A small metal bowl, a wooden fork and two wooden spoons used by Mahatma Gandhi from his prison days are to go under hammer at an auction in Bristol on January 10. According to East Bristol Auctioneer’s catalogue, items would be sold at an opening price of GBP 55,000 which, after adding auctioneer’s commission, GST, insurance, freight and India customs duty on import of antique would all add up to approximately Rs 1.2 crores. However, according to ANI, that is auctioneer’s low estimate, higher estimate being GBP 80,000 which would take landed cost in India to nearly Rs 2 crores. 

utensils were used daily by Gandhi when he was incarcerated at Aga Khan Palace in Pune between 1942 and 1944. items have superb provenance and originally comes from collection of Gandhi’s close friend Sumati Morarjee. After being released in May 1944, Gandhi went immediately to Morarjee’s house in Mumbai taking bowl and utensils with him. 

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(Im: EastBristolAuctions/Website) 

Gandhi heirlooms, including letters, photographs, portraits, books, sandals, spectacles, usually attract collectors of all sorts throughout globe. However, items personally used by Gandhi are rare at auctions. According to auctioneer’s website, bowl is approximately 21cm diameter, while cutlery, comprising fork and spoons are approximately 16cm long.  

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‘Important set of historical artefacts’ 

catalogue read, " set was used by Gandhi during his incarceration at Aga Khan Palace in Pune (1942-1944) and at Palm Bun House in Mumbai. bowl of simple metal construction, stamped 208/42 to base, with a scalloped form leading to a flat base (approximately 21 cm diameter). cutlery comprising a wooden fork and two carved wooden spoons are also of a simple form, in traditional manner (approx. 16cm long)." 

catalogue furr read that all utensils were used by Gandhi daily. items are also documented in book Sumati Morarjee Felicitation (1970) and also in Vithalbhai Jhaveri’s epic film biography Gandhi. website read that a full letter of provenance and history is supplied with lot. “An incredibly important set of historical artefacts, t only relating to Gandhi, but to history of India,” it added. 

(Im: @@Nataliya_Arts/Twitter) 

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