Gandhi's items sold for $1.8 million

[Vehl]

Source: CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A number of Mahatma Gandhi's personal items were auctioned Thursday, with an Indian businessman making the winning $1.8 million bid.

The auction winner is Vijay Mallya, chairman of India's UB Group, which includes Bangalore-based Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries. He was expected to return the items to the Indian government, according to CNN-IBN, CNN's sister station in India.


Controversy surrounded the sale of Gandhi's items -- among them his metal-rimmed glasses, pocket watch, sandals, bowl and plate -- prompting the seller, James Otis, to ask that the items be withdrawn from the auction.

India voiced strong objections to the auction. Its Ministry of External Affairs said the bidding would "commercialize and thereby demean the memory of the Father of the Nation and everything that he stood for in his life, beliefs and actions."




Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/03/05/gandhi.auction/

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I see something fishy here. the Auction house went ahead with the auction even after the owner informed them about his desire to cancel the auction.
they reportedly booted the owner's lawyer who attended the auction house to stop the sale.one wonders if they more interested in getting their commission from the sale than in the wishes of the owner?


but the outcome seems to be a positive one for india as the new owner would be returning those items to the Indian government.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. I'm surprised that the bids got that high, it was well known that the indian government

was going to win that auction one way or another no matter how high the bids went. That would discourage even the most serious/ wealthy collector from bothering I would think.

[Warpy]

2. More likely, they knew the owner's claim to them

was on the iffy side and he and they faced a lawsuit from the Indian government if the deal wasn't made with someone who intended to put them back where they belonged.

This way, everybody got paid and it was cheaper than an international lawsuit that would have dragged on for years.

My guess is that the "owner" sent his lawyer there to stop the sale for less than he thought he should get for them.

It would be fascinating to find out how such important, iconic items from the father of Indian independence found their way into a private collection in New York.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Whoever received the 1.8 mil should have dreams

.
.
.

[JI7]

4. how did James Otis come to own those items ?

i didn't read the article so don't know if it's mentioned on there.

[Vehl]

5. i was wondering about it too

nope; the article does not mention it. probably its a case of someone selling his personal artifacts right after his death/when no on was watching.