It's good that Sotheby's cancels the action of Sikh body armour

LONDON APRIL: Sotheby's auction house Monday stopped the auction a body armour after protests from Sikh groups. The 18th century armour, estimated at 10-12,000 pounds. Various Sikh websites were doubting the authenticity of this lot. The authenticity is not proven.

Some Sikh cultural experts claimed it might have belonged to the 10th Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh. The London auctioneers later clarified that it did not belong to Guru Gobind Singh.

Sotheby's has withdrawn the item from the April 9 auction at the request of the seller, who wanted it acquired by a member of the Sikh community.

The protests in India were mainly in the eastern Indian city of Patna - the birthplace of the Guru - and in Amritsar.

Info from BBC and indiatimes.com

Rare Sikh relics to be auctioned

Rare Sikh relics to be auctioned at Sotheby's.

Guru's Gobind Singh’s inscribed steel armor plate is going to be auctioned on 9th of April in one of London's most prestigious auction houses, Sotheby's.

The steel plate would originally have been part of a set of body armor known by its Persian name, 'char-aina' (four mirrors) comprising back, front, and two side plates. It is believed that this an identical piece of armor that belongs to the royal family of Patiala in Punjab.
This auction is the most important auction of Sikh heritage. There will be a lot of interest for this Sikh antique.

For more information go to:

http://www.sothebys.com

http://www.punjabheritage.org