Gandhi's letter sells for a huge £115,000 at Shropshire auction
A letter written by Mahatma Gandhi has sold for £115,000 – believed to be a 'world record' for such an item – at a Shropshire auction after being expected to fetch between £10,000 to £15,000.
Experts at county auctioneers Mullocks believe yesterday's sale was a record for a letter by the legendary Indian leader.
The letter, typed by Gandhi when he was detained in India by British forces in 1943, contains a plea for his freedom.
A delighted Richard Westwood-Brookes from Mullocks, speaking after yesterday's auction at Ludlow Racecourse, said he believed the sale was a 'world record figure'.
He said the letter had belonged to a man in India who was a freedom fighter with Gandhi.
Mr Westwood-Brookes said the elderly seller decided to auction the letter because he wanted to 'provide for his family'.
The auctioneers, which is based in Church Stretton, said with the 17 per cent buyer's premium the letter cost £134,550.
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.
Yesterday's auction was told the piece was 'unquestionably one of the most important letters of Gandhi ever to be offered for sale'. In it, Gandhi makes a typically reasoned plea for his own and his followers' release from house arrest.
