Head to this auction of rare prints, first-edition books, artworks and maps

The metropolis of Mumbai as others in India might have undergone a facelift to suit the 21st century Yet this week the city will witness a return to a diverse unique past that is slowly fading from public memory With their latest exhibition Passages to India A Journey Through Rare Books Prints Maps Photographs and Letters the auction house Saffronart will throw light on some rare treasures from the countryrsquos pastThe pages of the first edition of the Constitution feature artworks by Nandalal Bose and artists from SantiniketanldquoIt is truly a fantastic collectionrdquo shares Minal Vazirani president and cofounder of the auction house ldquoWhen I say colonial I use the term to signify a period of time rather than the rule itselfrdquo Vazirani clarifies The pieces curated from items through auction houses individual collectors and dealers were built over a long period of time Aside from the historical context it is the quality and nature of the artworks that elevate the exhibition Vazirani points out ldquoFor instance the maps from that time come with a rare quality of papers and there are aquatints that are handmade books that are handbound mdash an art and tradition that is fadingrdquoA set of handcoloured aquatints by J Harris based on watercolours by Henry Martens documenting the First AngloSikh WarAmong these rare artworks are a set of six handcoloured aquatints on the Sikh War by J Harris based on watercolours by Henry Martens documenting the First AngloSikh War from 18451848 Lot 93 she adds boasts of a collection of Les Hindous Ou Description de Leurs Moeurs Coutumes et Ceremonies by Franccedilois Balthazar Solvyns A fourvolume compilation of coloured etched plates offering detailed visuals of Indian society and culture in the 1790s it comes to Mumbai straight from the library of Baron de Rothschild Vazirani states The standout item for this writer is a 1950 firstedition of The Constitution of India She informs us that the Constitution was approved by the Assembly on November 26 1949 and presented at the Parliament of India on January 26 1950ldquoThey had two months to work and print in a tumultuous time The original was handwritten with gold flecks on the borders The book on our lots is a firstedition print one of only 1000 copiesrdquo she says In a historical election year and knowing the connection of one of its key architects Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to Mumbai this book gains weight ldquoThe pages of the Constitution had artworks done by Nandalal Bose and his artists from Santiniketan It is amazing to think that as India framed its Constitution the makers placed as much importance on our cultural and artistic heritage representation as on civil societyrdquo the cofounder remarksOf the 1000 prints close to 500 copies were distributed among members of the parliament and adjacent individuals who needed to access it she says This meant that there were not many copies in private hands for the public to viewA letter by Mahatma Gandhi to Dr Behram Navroji Khambatta 1928Another rare firstedition book is Charles Wilkins copy of the English translation of the Bhagvad Gita mdash a Rosetta Stone for Sanskrit scholars of the era ldquoPrinted in 1785 this is the first known English translation made directly from Sanskrit It was groundbreaking workrdquo she explains There is also a typewritten letter by Mahatma Gandhi and a signed copy of The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru Currently on display at their Prabhadevi space the items offer more than just aesthetic value Art lovers and patrons can pay a visit and view them till the final two days of online auction on July 24 and 25Minal VaziranildquoI think the people who have come in to view the collection find an emotional connection with them It is a slice of where we come from We recently had a relative of a member from the original drafting committee of the Indian Constitution visit us To have that opportunity of a conversation with someone who had familial ties to a work that predates all of us now is incrediblerdquo she remarks Understandable since it is rare to get a chance to view the past in a rapidly modernising worldTILL July 25 11 am to 6 pm Sundays by appointment onlyAT Saffronart Mumbai Industry Manor ground floor Appasaheb Marathe Marg PrabhadeviCALL 022 68554100 for appointment