Heritage under the hammer

Rare stamps

German auction house,Gartner,will auction rare colour proofs of Indian stamps. The collection,India and Indian states,includes colour proofs issued in 1969 on the birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi and of the Mahatma with wife Kasturba. These were originally issued for between 20 paise and Re 1 but the auction house hopes to raise 1500 euros for some of the colour proofs. India Post said they had no clue about the auction.

Gandhi letter

In 2007,one of the last letters written by Mahatma Gandhi was withdrawn from an auction at Christies,London,after India managed to bring it back. In the letterpart of a collection which includes manuscripts from Napoleon,Sir Isaac Newton and Winston ChurchillGandhi pleads for greater tolerance towards Indias Muslims.

Tipus sword

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya bought the sword of Tipu Sultan from a London auction four years ago. The sword was proudly displayed before shutterbugs but Mallya had trouble with the Customs,who demanded a hefty import duty.