Highly Important Sikh Heritage Sale in UK on Nov 5th

PNews

LONDON, UK—One of the earliest accounts of the great Sikh king Maharajah Ranjit Singh takes center stage at Mullock’s Auction House on November 5th.

Dating to 1805 – From British records the following account by the Marquis of Wellesley

Lot – 443 ‘The Scheick [Sikh] Chiefs’ with British wanting to obtain the co-operation of the principal chiefs of the tribe of Scheicks in the war against the Mahrattas with help from the Raja of Putteealah [Patiala] despatches f the 25th September 1803 received proposal on behalf of Runjeet-Sing Rajah of Lahore to cede to the British Government the territory possessed by some chiefs of the tribe of Schiecks situate fourth of the river Sutlege upon a condition of defensive alliance.Also states the British doubts he right of Runjeet-Singh to transfer that territory.’

Specialist Richard Westwood-Brookes said “This is one of earliest accounts of Ranjit Singh, he would have been at the tender age of 25, a young ambitious man who was set to rule a vast empire, he was clearly an obstacle to the British expanding their territory in India.”

The account is set to fetch between 600 – 800 GBP

Mullock’s will also auction a report of the meeting between Ranjit Singh and Lord William Bentick Governor General of India (lot 446), published in 1832 only 7 months after the meeting, also expected to sell for 600 – 800 GBP.

Another interesting highlight is an early edition of the ‘History of the Sikhs ‘ by Joseph Davy Cunningham published in 1853, considered the first extensive work on the Sikhs by a European.

Other lots in the sale include a first hand account of the Sikhs by John Malcolm from 1813, a Sikh Empire period Kashmir painted shelve with portraits of Ranjit Singh and Gulab Singh, a rare 19th century British cast model of the famous Sikh Bhangi Misl Cannon, a fine engraving of the Nihungs (1844) by British artist Emily Eden, a very early drawing of Ranjit Singh, a lavishly illustrated book on the Sikh court of Lahore by Russian traveler Soltykoff and the earliest European view of the Golden Temple dating ( 1836 ) .

Richard Westwood-Brookes further commented, “This sale is unquestionably one of the most important in recent years, it sheds light into the Sikh empire and religion from the eyes of the British and European explorers of the 19th century”

The sale takes place on Nov 5th at Mullock’s Auction at Ludlow Race course Shropshire UK.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here