Latest news with #Bonhams
Mint
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Gandhi's only known oil portrait, painted during 1931 London visit, sells for over ₹1.75 crore at Bonhams auction
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted in 1931 during his historic visit to London, has been sold for £152,800 (approximately ₹ 1.75 crore) at a Bonhams auction — more than double its estimated price of £50,000 to £70,000. The painting, created by British artist Clare Leighton, is believed to be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally sat. According to Bonhams, it had never before been offered at auction and was the top lot in the "Travel and Exploration" sale held online between July 7 and 15. The portrait was completed during Gandhi's attendance at the Second Round Table Conference in London, where he represented the Indian National Congress to discuss constitutional reforms for India. The artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, a known supporter of the Indian independence movement. The artwork remained in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed on to her family. The portrait carries a complex history; Leighton's family recalled that it may have been attacked with a knife by an RSS activist during a public exhibition in 1974. Documentation attached to the frame confirms the painting was restored that same year by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. This is not the first time a portrait of Gandhi has fetched a significant price at auction. In 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi sold for £32,500 — roughly four times its estimated value.
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
Gandhi's only known oil portrait, painted during 1931 London visit, sells for over ₹1.75 crore at Bonhams auction
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted in 1931 during his historic visit to London, has been sold for £152,800 (approximately ₹ 1.75 crore) at a Bonhams auction — more than double its estimated price of £50,000 to £70,000. The painting, created by British artist Clare Leighton, is believed to be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally sat. According to Bonhams, it had never before been offered at auction and was the top lot in the "Travel and Exploration" sale held online between July 7 and 15. The portrait was completed during Gandhi's attendance at the Second Round Table Conference in London, where he represented the Indian National Congress to discuss constitutional reforms for India. The artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, a known supporter of the Indian independence movement. The artwork remained in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed on to her family. The portrait carries a complex history; Leighton's family recalled that it may have been attacked with a knife by an RSS activist during a public exhibition in 1974. Documentation attached to the frame confirms the painting was restored that same year by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. This is not the first time a portrait of Gandhi has fetched a significant price at auction. In 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi sold for £32,500 — roughly four times its estimated value. The sale highlights both the historical and symbolic value of rare visual representations of Gandhi, particularly those created during critical moments in India's struggle for independence.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The $4 Million Barn Find Bugatti Hidden in a Garage for 50 Years
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector In 2009, one of the most astonishing barn finds in automotive history stunned the collector car world. Hidden in a dusty garage in Newcastle, England, sat a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante—untouched, forgotten, and coated in nearly five decades of dust. When auction house Bonhams announced its discovery, enthusiasts called it a 'once-in-a-lifetime treasure.' But the story behind how this car ended up locked away is almost as fascinating as the car itself. Watch the full story of this incredible Bugatti barn find in our video below. A Forgotten Treasure The Bugatti was found in the garage of Dr. Harold Carr, an eccentric British orthopedic surgeon who purchased the car in 1955. Once owned by Francis Curzon, the 5th Earl Howe, a renowned Le Mans racer, the Type 57S Atalante was already considered a rare and desirable car in the 1950s. But sometime in the 1960s, Carr parked the Bugatti and never drove it again. For the next 50 years, it sat untouched, with cracked tires, cobwebbed headlights, and dust settling on every surface—a true time capsule. What Makes the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Special The Type 57S Atalante is one of the most sought-after pre-war Bugattis ever built. Only 17 were produced, and its design was considered revolutionary at the time. Equipped with a 3.3-liter straight-eight engine, the 57S Atalante was lightweight, elegant, and fast, with a distinctive teardrop-shaped body that has become one of the most iconic Bugatti silhouettes in history. The fact that this particular car still had its original components intact after 50 years of storage made it even more valuable to collectors. The Auction Frenzy When the Bugatti crossed the auction block at Bonhams in Paris, collectors from around the world competed for the chance to own it. Despite its dusty, unrestored condition, the Atalante sold for an incredible £3.4 million—around $4.4 million USD. Some argued it should be preserved exactly as it was found, while others believed a full restoration would reveal its original beauty. The Mystery of Why It Was Hidden The biggest question remains: why did Dr. Carr hide the car for so long? Some believe he lost interest in driving as he grew older. Others suggest he may have wanted to preserve the car's originality, knowing it could someday be historically significant. There's even speculation that financial concerns or personal reasons may have played a role. Whatever the reason, Carr's decision inadvertently created one of the most important barn finds of all time. A Once-in-a-Lifetime Find Today, the Bugatti Atalante serves as a reminder that automotive treasures are still out there, hidden in garages, barns, and sheds, waiting to be discovered. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Goodbye ‘Downton Abbey' auction and UK exhibition announced
Visitors attend a 1920's themed event at Highclere Castle, near Newbury, west of London, on September 7, 2019, ahead of the world premiere of the Downton Abbey film. --AFP 'Downton Abbey' fans will be able to bid on props, costumes and other items from the hit TV show and movies, with the announcement Thursday of a 'farewell' auction and showcase starting next month. The sale by London auction house Bonhams, which will feature everything from dresses to a clapper board, will run online for just under a month from August 18. It comes ahead of the release of a third film -- 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' -- in cinemas in September, and follows six highly successful seasons of the show on the small screen. Bonhams is marking the occasion with a free 'special exhibition' at its New Bond Street location in the British capital open to anyone and featuring some of the sale items, it said. 'Downton Abbey is an exceptionally well-researched piece of storytelling on aristocratic society in the early 20th century,' Charlie Thomas, of Bonhams, said in a statement announcing the sale and accompanying showcase. 'The costumes and props show the impressive attention to detail that brought the world to life on screen and making it so beloved by millions across the globe.' Among the higher priced items going under the hammer are the Downton Abbey 'bell wall', the servant call system which featured prominently in the television series. It is estimated to fetch up to £7,000 ($9,400). Various dresses will be available, including a wedding costume worn by Lady Mary Crawley -- played by actress Michelle Dockery -- in the first episode of season three priced at £3,000 to £5,000. Meanwhile the clapper board used in the production of the film 'Downton Abbey: A New Era' is set to cost £1,000 to £1,500, while an autographed script of episode one, season one, is estimated to go for £600 to £800. — AFP
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Goodbye 'Downton Abbey' auction and UK exhibition announced
Dresses worn by Michelle Dockery, who played Lady Mary Crawley, are among the items up for auction "Downton Abbey" fans will be able to bid on props, costumes and other items from the hit TV show and movies, with the announcement of a "farewell" auction and showcase starting next month. The sale by London auction house Bonhams, which will feature everything from dresses to a clapper board, will run online for just under a month from August 18. It comes ahead of the release of a third film -- "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" -- in cinemas in September, and follows six highly successful seasons of the show on the small screen. Bonhams is marking the occasion with a free "special exhibition" at its New Bond Street location in the British capital open to anyone and featuring some of the sale items, it said. "Downton Abbey is an exceptionally well-researched piece of storytelling on aristocratic society in the early 20th century," Charlie Thomas, of Bonhams, said in a statement announcing the sale and accompanying showcase. "The costumes and props show the impressive attention to detail that brought the world to life on screen and making it so beloved by millions across the globe." Among the higher priced items going under the hammer are the Downton Abbey "bell wall", the servant call system which featured prominently in the television series. It is estimated to fetch up to £7,000 ($9,400). Various dresses will be available, including a wedding costume worn by Lady Mary Crawley -- played by actress Michelle Dockery -- in the first episode of season three priced at £3,000 to £5,000. Meanwhile the clapper board used in the production of the film "Downton Abbey: A New Era" is set to cost £1,000 to £1,500, while an autographed script of episode one, season one, is estimated to go for £600 to £800. © 2025 AFP
