Gandhi's letter sells for £115,000 at auction
16 February BBC
A letter written by Mahatma Gandhi has sold for £115,000 at auction
after being expected to fetch £10-15,000.The letter, typed by Gandhi
when he was detained in India by British forces in 1943, contains a plea
for his freedom.Richard Westwood-Brookes of auctioneers Mullocks, in
Shropshire, said he believed it was a "world record figure" for a letter
by the Indian leader.
He said the letter, sold in auction in Ludlow, had belonged to a man
in India who was a freedom fighter with Gandhi.He said the elderly
seller decided to auction the letter because he wanted to "provide for
his family".Mr Westwood-Brookes said the document, addressed and dated
"Detention Camp, October 26th 1943" was one of the most important
letters by Gandhi to be offered for sale as it instigated his secret
negotiations for Indian Independence.In the letter, addressed to the
additional secretary of the Government of India, Gandhi makes a plea for
his own and his followers' release.The auctioneers, which is based in
Church Stretton, said with the 17% buyer's premium the letter cost
£134,550.
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