Photo by Robert Atkinson

Mahatma Gandhi’s 1910 Zenith pocket watch

June 2009 Auction Reviews

Asia Week

Shinwa Art Auction

Tajan

Christie’s

James Adam & Sons

Sotheby’s

Northeast Auctions

Freeman’s

Phillips de Pury & Company

Wright

Hampel

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NEW YORK—Top lot: A group of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal belongings that included his circa 1910 Zenith pocket watch brought $2,096,000. Despite the presale protests of several Indian groups that wished to reclaim the watch as part of their patrimony, 30 individuals registered to vie for the Gandhi property. But as the bidding sped past $950,000, only two were left standing.The victor was Vijay Mallya, one of India’s wealthiest businessmen, who has agreed to bring the timepiece home. "It was a win-win situation," says Julien Schaerer, the house’s auctioneer and watch director.

"In Brief: Antiquorum" originally appeared in the June 2009 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's June 2009 Table of Contents.