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Gandhi's items bring auction house huge commission: report
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A watch that was owned by Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi is on display before being auctioned at Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York March 5, 2009. Several items that belonged to Gandhi were sold for $1.8 million on Thursday despite a last minute bid by the seller to withdraw them from auction.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
The personal items of India's modern founding father, Mahatma Gandhi, sold for 1.8 million U.S. dollars at an auction in New York Friday, brought 296,000 U.S. dollars in commission for the auction house, the Antiquorum Auctioneers, said the semi-official Press Trust of India news agency Saturday.
A day after the articles were sold, the auction house said that Gandhi's pocket watch, sandals, glasses, bowl and plate fetched a total of 2.096 million U.S. dollars, commission included, according to the report.
The items were bought by Indian liquor baron Vijay Mallya from American collector James Otis, who got 1.8 million U.S. dollars.
Items that were owned by Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi are on display before being auctioned at Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York March 5, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Mallya, known for having already bought back from international auctioneers a number of India's national treasures including a royal sword, said he would bring the items back to India for public display.
The Indian government strongly opposed the auction, saying it was against the principles of India's national icon.
A pair of wire rimmed glasses that were owned by Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi are on display before being auctioned at Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York March 5, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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