Nehru, Jawaharlal.

discussing current events most notably turmoil in jammu and kashmir including the overthrow of Maharaja Hari Singh and the aftermath of the overthrow of Sheikh Abdullah in 1953 ("...As regards threats of hungerstrikes by some Sikh leaders, there is no objection to be [sic] public opinion being organised..."), with repeated requests by Nehru for her to refrain from involvement in the region, as well as comments, often critical, of her news-gathering operation ("...A rumour is not news..."), her charitable activities, and personal matters, also mentioning many leading Congress figures, 23 pages, chiefly 4to, most headed "Personal" or "Personal and Confidential", each numbered in ink in the top right corner, with 22 envelopes, 18 having remains of wax seals, 7 January 1950 to 20 June 1954, some browning, nicks, and tears

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"...She often makes mistakes and upsets people. But I know of no braver person, man or woman, in India and I would sooner have her by my side in a critical and riotous situation than a battalion of soldiers..." (Nehru describing Mridula Sarabhai to Bidhan C. Roy, 1 May 1950) 

letters by nehru to a close friend in the years after independence. Mridula Sarabhai (1911-1974) was born into a wealthy industrialist family from Ahmedabad. She was involved in the struggle for independence from a young age and became a lifelong friend of Nehru, although they disagreed over many important issues. She was a supporter of women's rights and was involved in relief and social work. Sarabhai's strong stance on Kashmir - she remained a defiant supporter of Sheikh Abdullah after his overthrow and imprisonment - led to a serious political rift with Nehru. It was part of her wider work to reconcile Hindu and Muslim, which was also reflected, for example, in her support for Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the "Frontier Gandhi", another issue on which she received scant support from Nehru ("...It would be quite wrong for Shah Nawaz or anyone else to see Bevan about the release of Badshah Khan...").

Nehru is critical of Sarabhai in many of these letters - he found many of her public interventions unhelpful and by 1954 was largely refusing to discuss politics with her - but they also provide glimpses of the private feelings of this reticent man, for example in his reaction to her suggestion that she act as a "bridge" between him and the wider public. On another occasion he discusses the letters he received from Gandhi, and the thinking that led to his 1958 book A Bundle of Old Letters ("...there is no question of their publication either by the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi or anyone else. If some selected ones are ever published, it will be done under my direct supervision...").