Vijay Mallya buys Gandhi items for $1.8 million
Mahatma Gandhi’s memorabilia went under the hammer at the Antiquorum Auctioneers early on Friday morning (India time) in New York after hours of high drama.
Lot 364, featuring effects of Mahatma Gandhi, had a reserve price between $20,000 and $30,000.
The room inside was packed and included officials of the Indian Consulate in New York who had earlier spent the day conferring with the highest bidder, a representative of Vijay Mallya.
After frenzied bidding, the lot drew a bid of $ 1.8 million, for a total cost of $2.1 million including the buyer's premium.
"I think Dr Mallya is probably going to take it to India, to his home and give it to India," says President, UB Group America, Tony Bedi.
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