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 the hammer at an auction in Bristol on January 10. According to the East Bristol Auctioneer’s catalogue, the 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, the higher estimate being GBP 80,000 which would take the landed cost in India to nearly Rs 2 crores. 

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

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(Image: EastBristolAuctions/Website) 

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

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‘Important set of historical artefacts’ 

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

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

(Image: @@Nataliya_Arts/Twitter) 

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