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Southeby's armour auction
SGPC peeved but doubts perist over claims
WSN Network

LONDON: Sotheby's is calling it a rare piece of body armour, a website said it belonged to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji, and soon a brouhaha was raised in the media about the auction of the artefact on April 9. The SGPC has asked the Prime Minister to intervene and stop the auction, and has also reached out to the Sikhs in UK asking them to do all in their power to stop the auction. It has also vowed to get the armour back and dedicate it to the community.

The steel armour plate is slated to be auctioned in Sotheby's Arts of the Islamic World Sale that the auction house has termed as the "most important of its kind the company has ever staged".

Amandeep Singh Madra, a London-based art historian, who specialises in Sikh art and heritage, has called the item a relic from the tenth Sikh Guru on his website punjabheritage.com.

Sikh heritage objects have been realising impressive prices in recent times. The most remarkable example was that of the marble bust of Maharaja Duleep Singh. In an auction held at Bonham's in April 2007, it was bought for £1.7 million, much above the expected price of £30,000.

The armour plate, which would be included in the Arms, Armour and Militaria section of the sale, has an estimate of 10,000-12,000 pounds, according to a Sotheby's release. The steel plate would originally have been part of a set of body armour known by its Persian name, 'char-aina' (four mirrors) comprising back, front, and two side plates, Madra said.

But even as the SGPC seemed getting into the act, doubts are being raised about the authenticity of the artefact. As per some media reports, the Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha) of London has questioned the validity of the perceived wisdom and said the armour may have nothing to do with the tenth Sikh master.
Sotheby's has described the Lot number L08220/269 as “A Rare Sikh Steel Armour Plate, North West India/Pakistan, 18th Century”. The armour bears the opening verses of “Akal Ustat”, an inscription that also figures on the Guru’s personal “Raikot” sword.

The London gurdwara has withdrawn from bidding for the item saying it will be misuse of Sangat’s money. The website www.punjabheritage.org that had taken up the issue has also come in for some criticism.

2 April 2008