Sir Basil Gould & Dalai Lama: Rather Splendid Auction
On the 85th anniversary of the 14th Dalai Lama’s enthronement, Bonhams will auction the historic collection of Sir Basil Gould – the British Political Officer present at the ceremony in Lhasa in 1940 – including rare watercolours by Indian artist Krishna Kanwal, Tibetan artefacts, and Gould’s personal archive.
If you thought auctions were all gavel-banging and the occasional paddle-waving squabble over a Ming vase, you’d best sit down and make yourself a nice cup of Darjeeling. Because on 4 June 2025, Bonhams New Bond Street is rolling out the red carpet for a rather corking slice of Himalayan history. Marking the 85th anniversary of the enthronement of the 14th Dalai Lama — yes, the current one, no less — Bonhams is set to offer the personal collection and archive of Sir Basil Gould, the moustachioed British Political Officer who found himself in the thick of it back in 1940.
At the tender age of four — an age when most of us were still learning not to put marbles up our nose — Tenzin Gyatso was hoisted onto the golden throne in Lhasa, all wide-eyed wisdom and ceremonial headgear. Watching on, no doubt with imperial decorum and a cup of strong tea, was Sir Basil Gould himself, representing the British government with just the right amount of stiff upper lip. His attendance, as part of the British Mission to Tibet, was no small affair — and now, decades later, the world gets to peek into his suitcase of souvenirs.
Among the highlights is a positively dazzling set of 40 original watercolours by Indian artist Krishna Kanwal — a man who clearly knew one end of a paintbrush from the other. These never-before-auctioned works depict Sir Basil’s 1940 mission in loving detail, capturing the rich pageantry and spiritual gravitas of the Dalai Lama’s enthronement. They’re expected to fetch somewhere between £180,000 and £250,000 — which, if you’re wondering, is quite a few yak butter sculptures.
And just to keep the spiritual wattage high, Kanwal’s portraits of the Dalai Lama, both pre- and mid-throne, are also up for grabs, with estimates reaching as high as £200,000. It’s not every day you get the chance to hang a young spiritual leader on your sitting room wall, after all.
But wait, there’s more — oh so much more. Sir Basil Gould’s personal archive is, quite frankly, a treasure chest that would make Indiana Jones consider a career in paperwork. There are seven photographic albums featuring over 1,500 images from his 1936–37 mission (estimate £20,000–30,000), a bundle of 16mm Kodachrome film reels he shot himself (some even screened for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth — no pressure there), and his dashing diplomatic uniform from Ranken & Co. of Calcutta. Perfect if you’re attending a fancy dress party themed ‘British Empire: The Twilight Years’.
There’s also a smattering of Tibetan manuscripts, a report on the Dalai Lama’s enthronement in English and Tibetan (talk about covering all bases), and even Sir Basil’s medals and decorations — presumably earned for bravery in the face of dodgy mountain roads and Himalayan altitude.
If Buddhist art is more your cup of herbal infusion, the auction has you covered with everything from 18th-century parcel-gilt Buddhas to a thangka of Tsangpa Karpo (yes, we had to look him up too), and a rather snazzy Ming Dynasty cloisonné incense burner — perfect for the spiritual seeker who also enjoys a bit of bling.
Giles Peppiatt, Bonhams’ Group Head of Pictures (and no stranger to a tasteful turn of phrase), summed it up rather nicely: “The Gould Collection represents a rare and profoundly important historical archive.” Translation: you’d be barking mad to miss it.
Prior to the big day, the collection will be on public view from 1–3 June at Bonhams New Bond Street, giving you the chance to bask in the glow of historical importance — and perhaps even plot your bidding strategy. No elbows, please.
For the international crowd, Krishna Kanwal’s centrepiece oil painting of the Dalai Lama on the throne will be exhibited during Asia Week at Bonhams New York from 14–19 March, and again in Los Angeles from 22–25 April — just in case your travel plans could use a bit of spiritual enlightenment and cultural cachet.
So, polish your monocle, practise your auction nod, and prepare for an event that’s as enlightening as it is exquisitely British in tone. It’s not just history under the hammer — it’s history with a dash of Darjeeling and a wink of Empire nostalgia.
Tibetan trumpets not included.
For further information, email press@bonhams.com
To download images, please click on this link here:
https://bonhams.box.com/s/m9i5rl1ciburt9wn8nd3y9zltpx2qo6m
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