A pair of gold-plated spectacles believed to possess been worn by Gandhi and presented as a present within the 1900s have broken all records for a UK firm by selling for 260,000 pounds.
The glasses, which were dropped through the letterbox of East Bristol Auctions in Hanham, south-west England, four weeks ago were estimated to fetch between 10,000 pounds and 15,000 pounds but the web bids for the lot kept multiplying to finally go under the hammer of the six-figure sum.
“An incredible result for a fantastic item! because of all those that bid,” said auctioneer Andy Stowe of East Bristol Auctions, as he closed the bid for the web auction on Friday.
“These glasses represent not only an auction record for us but an enormous find of great historical importance. the seller had presumed them to be interesting, but of no value and did tell me to eliminate them ”if they”re not worth anything”,” said Stowe.
“I think he nearly fell off his chair once we presented our valuation. It”s a very great auction story – and one that we all dream of,” he said.
The unnamed new owner of the spectacles is an elderly man from Mangotsfield, South Gloucestershire in south-west England, who will split the 260,000 pounds together with his daughter.
The glasses are said to possess been within the family of the seller in England, also an elderly gentleman, who was told by his father that they were a present to his uncle when he was working for British Petroleum in South Africa between 1910 and 1930.
“The story that appears with the lot is strictly what the seller told us, and exactly what was told to him by his father some 50 years ago,” says Stowe in regard to the provenance of the glasses, which are likely to be one among Gandhi”s earliest pairs during his time in South Africa .
The lot, titled “Pair of Mahatma Gandhi”s Personal Spectacles”, was a part of the auctioneers” Military, History and Classic Cars online sale and had attracted much worldwide interest.
“A pair of early 20th century c1920 gold plated circular rimmed spectacles by repute owned and worn by Gandhi ,” read the auction lot details.
“The spectacles of usual form, with sprung gold plated arms and prescription lenses. Jointed by a gold plated nose bar. The spectacles formed a crucial and somewhat iconic a part of Gandhi”s overall appearance,” it said.
“It was known that he would often divulge his old or unwanted pairs to those in need or those that had helped him. A rare and important pair of spectacles,” it added.
“The uncle working for British Petroleum at the time and was stationed in South Africa , and it are often presumed that these were gifted by way of thanks from Gandhi for a few good deed. A note from the seller is included,” it added.
Gandhi became synonymous with the long-lasting round-rimmed Windsor-style glasses, common during the amount when he was studying law in England within the late 1800s and 1900s.
While initially used infrequently, the glasses became a daily feature during the national movement and Gandhi”s direct action protests in India.
He is known to possess handed over his personal items as gifts to admirers and variety of comparable items have emerged on the auction circuit over the years.