A historic tinselled garland, gifted to Mahatma Gandhi during the legendary Dandi March in 1930, did not sell at a recent UK auction, failing to meet its guide price. The garland is a rare artifact from India’s fight for independence and was estimated to fetch between GBP 20,000 and GBP 30,000 but remains unsold.
Unique Garland Holds Historical Significance
A pink-cloth medallion shaped as a large teardrop in pink, backed on card, with silver and gold thread, sequins, and gold tinsel attached to the garland of the Salt March of Mahatma Gandhi consists of four smaller rectangular and two triangular medallions that follow this style. The garland was given by Nanduben Kanuga, wife of the doctor, Balvantrai N. Kanuga, a doctor who treated Gandhi. It has been decades that the artifact has been in the Kanuga family collection.
Hopes For Future Sale Auction House
Kristina Sanne is the head of sale at the fine art and antiques auction house. She was quite astonished that the garland could not be sold. “I am very surprised that the ‘Gandhi Garland’ did not find a home on the day of the auction,” she said. However, since the sale, Sanne believes there has been a good interest in the piece and feels sure it will sell.
Steady Demand for Indian Art
Where others sold, the Gandhi garland still sits unsold. In stark contrast to this lot, other Indian artifacts received great attention and exceeded estimates. A superb illustration from a Bhagavata Purana series ofPunjab fetched GBP 27,700 against an estimate. Six Rajput equestrian portraits brought in a goodly GBP 20,160 while a Kalighat album foundan eager buyer for GBP 21,420.
Sanne highlighted the robust performance of the Indian art segment, where over 90% of its lots sold. “The Indian art market continues to show remarkable buoyancy,” she observed, which speaks of rising global interest in artifacts coming from India.
The garland, meanwhile, will still be available for bids, but with all the historical and cultural importance surrounding it, it will certainly end up in a worthy home.
