A historic garland that Mahatma Gandhi donned on his 1930 Salt March failed to attract any buyers at an auction in London on Wednesday, December 11.
The garland and Gandhi’s photo with it were to be sold at lot 102 for Islamic and Indian art online sale at Lyon & Turnbull auction house this week with an estimate of Euro 20,000 to Euro 30,000 (approximately Rs 21-32 lakh).
The auction featured the garland along with a photograph of Gandhi receiving it from Nanduben Kanuga, wife of Dr Balvantrai Kanuga. This picture was taken on March 12, 1930, near their residence in Ahmedabad when the Salt March was in progress.
Significance of the garland
The garland itself is a unique artefact made from pink cloth, adorned with golden strings and sequins with paper wrappers on which Gujarati writings are inscribed.
It has a large teardrop-shaped medallion and several other applied ornament elements linked with gold fillets. The importance of this garland lies in the fact that the garland is related to the Dandi March, a historic movement of freedom struggle of Indians from British rule.
This march was to protest against the British salt tax and lasted 24 days and covered over 240 miles, culminating in a symbolic act of their campaign on April 6, 1930.
Auction results
However, the Gandhi garland remained unsold, yet the auction house stated a positive performance of more than 90 percent for an Indian art auction.
Other sales included Asian/Rajasthani miniature painting for Euro 7,056 and Indo-Portuguese vessels for Euro 75,500. Another painting from the Bhagavata Purana also went for a higher price of Euro 27,700.
Kristina Sanne head of the Lyon & Turnbull said that she was surprised and disappointed that there are no bids for the garland but she confirmed that there are continuous inquiries and anticipates more in the coming weeks.
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