Mohandas Gandhi owned and worn early 20th century sunglasses from his time in South Africa
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£35,000.00
£35,000.00
per item
A pair of sunglasses owned and worn by Gandhi during the period he lived and worked in South Africa as a young lawyer (1893–1914). Fresh from three years of training in London, Gandhi was still dressing in Western style suits and ties — a far cry from his later years in India. South Africa was were Gandhi first experienced brutal discrimination and racism, often in the form of unprovoked violence. These experiences in the Colony of Natal, then also part of the British Empire, led to his questioning of the Indian people's standing within the British Empire and fostered the roots of his civil rights activism.
The circa 1910, German made sunglasses have gold plated arms, with frameless octagonal shaped lenses, Bakelite nose rests, and black-dipped ear supports. They come in their original lined case, with a label to the interior bearing the hand written inscription in ink, "To Mr Shankaran, From Mrs Gandhi". Both arms engraved 'Made In Germany.' The spectacles remain in solid structural condition for their age, but the gold plating has worn away in places, and the rubberised arm-ends have deteriorated.
The original seller of these sunglasses provided the following provenance: My Grandfather was born in 1910. From his young age, he was a Freedom fighter and he participated in many protests in India during the Independence era. In 1939 he was associated in non-violent protest in Rajkot along with Kasturba Gandhi, where both were arrested. In 1942 he also participated in the Quit India Movement, along with Mahatma Gandhi and was jailed again. He also had close association with Mr Gandhi's secretary Mahadev Desai. Kasturba Gandhi (Gandhi's wife) gifted these frameless sunglasses to Gandhi during his trip to South Africa 1893-1912, during his young age Mr Gandhi used to wear blazers and suits during his trips abroad. Mr Gandhi & Mrs. Kasturba Gandhi gifted these glasses to my grandfather as a gift in 1939-40 (not sure about the exact year) after his jail term for organizing a rally in Rajkot (Gujarat) and effectively participating in the Quit India Movement, in Bombay. They were then passed down to me when my Grandfather passed away and have been in my possession ever since.
They were originally brought to market via East Bristol Auctions in the UK, and come with a signed letter of provenance from their head auctioneer. East Bristol have sold some remarkable Gandhi items in the last few years, including several important letters, his khadi loincloth and a pair of his iconic spectacles for £260,000. As additional evidence of the link between Gandhi and Shankaran, we've also included a print out of a letter to "Shri Shankaran", that can be found in the selected letters of Mahatma Gandhi at ww.gandhiashramsevagram.org. The sunglasses are a remarkable artifact from the life on Gandhi, and are surely one of his earliest personal items to come to market.
The circa 1910, German made sunglasses have gold plated arms, with frameless octagonal shaped lenses, Bakelite nose rests, and black-dipped ear supports. They come in their original lined case, with a label to the interior bearing the hand written inscription in ink, "To Mr Shankaran, From Mrs Gandhi". Both arms engraved 'Made In Germany.' The spectacles remain in solid structural condition for their age, but the gold plating has worn away in places, and the rubberised arm-ends have deteriorated.
The original seller of these sunglasses provided the following provenance: My Grandfather was born in 1910. From his young age, he was a Freedom fighter and he participated in many protests in India during the Independence era. In 1939 he was associated in non-violent protest in Rajkot along with Kasturba Gandhi, where both were arrested. In 1942 he also participated in the Quit India Movement, along with Mahatma Gandhi and was jailed again. He also had close association with Mr Gandhi's secretary Mahadev Desai. Kasturba Gandhi (Gandhi's wife) gifted these frameless sunglasses to Gandhi during his trip to South Africa 1893-1912, during his young age Mr Gandhi used to wear blazers and suits during his trips abroad. Mr Gandhi & Mrs. Kasturba Gandhi gifted these glasses to my grandfather as a gift in 1939-40 (not sure about the exact year) after his jail term for organizing a rally in Rajkot (Gujarat) and effectively participating in the Quit India Movement, in Bombay. They were then passed down to me when my Grandfather passed away and have been in my possession ever since.
They were originally brought to market via East Bristol Auctions in the UK, and come with a signed letter of provenance from their head auctioneer. East Bristol have sold some remarkable Gandhi items in the last few years, including several important letters, his khadi loincloth and a pair of his iconic spectacles for £260,000. As additional evidence of the link between Gandhi and Shankaran, we've also included a print out of a letter to "Shri Shankaran", that can be found in the selected letters of Mahatma Gandhi at ww.gandhiashramsevagram.org. The sunglasses are a remarkable artifact from the life on Gandhi, and are surely one of his earliest personal items to come to market.
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