London: A pair of gold-plated glasses that belonged to Mahatma Gandhi fetched 260,000 pounds at an auction in Britain.
According to an AFP report, East Bristol Auction House found Gandhi’s glasses in their letterbox. A gentleman, whose uncle had received the glasses as a gift from Gandhi, left it there.
“We found them just four weeks ago in our letterbox, left there by a gentleman whose uncle had been given them by Gandhi himself,” wrote East Bristol Auctions on their Instagram handle.
“An incredible result for an incredible item! Thanks to all those who bid,” posted the auction house after the sale late Friday.
Gandhi used to give out old or unwanted things to those in need or those who had helped him.
When Gandhi used to work for British Petroleum in South Africa during the 1920s or 30s, he had given his old pair of glasses to the vendor’s uncle, said the auction house.
Earlier this month, auctioneer Andrew Stowe told Sky News that the vendor had told him, “If they’re (glasses) no good, just throw them away.”
When Stowe suggested that the glasses might fetch him around 15,000 pounds, the vendor probably “fell off his chair.”
The sale price of Gandhi’s glasses at the auction smashed the original estimate of around 15,000 pounds.
The moment Gandhi's Glasses sell for £260,000 (apologies for poor quality) – an incredible result for a very special pair of spectacles. A true honour and a real thrill to be a part of something so special. pic.twitter.com/HY6QqeHFvN
— Andrew Stowe (@Auction_Andy) August 21, 2020
See the moment Gandhi's Glasses sell for £260,000 – we found them just 4 weeks ago in our letterbox, left there by a gentleman whose uncle had been given them by Gandhi himself. An incredible result for an… https://t.co/V2NV6c2UC3
— Auctioneum – Bristol & Bath (@BristolAuctions) August 21, 2020
