Autographs of Mao, Gandhi and Sitting Bull go under the hammer in Maidenhead

The names of Chairman Mao, Gandhi and Chief Sitting Bull are among those on a collection of rare autographs to be auctioned in Maidenhead this week (Wednesday, July 24).

The historical figures are part of a collection of almost 120 objects that is expected to fetch more than £60,000 at Dawsons Auctioneers.

From politicians and rock’n’roll superstars to sports greats and legendary authors, the collection presents the last 150 years.

“It’s a beautiful snapshot of history,” said Dawson specialist Peter Mason.

“It’s incredibly rare for a collection to include something like Mao’s autograph – we feel very privileged to have it here.”

The collection is divided into 76 individual lots, each containing a snapshot of history.

Each piece has been checked for authenticity.

Lot 25, valued at £20,000-£30,000, features the signature of Mao Zedong alongside that of then Pakistani Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.

Mao, the infamous leader of the Chinese state, was chairman of the Communist Party of China (CCP) from its founding in 1949 until his death in 1976.

Under his leadership, China experienced the “Cultural Revolution” – one of the bloodiest and most uncertain periods in the country’s history.

However, the signature of this collection shows a moment in Mao’s history that aimed at developing peaceful cooperation with Pakistan.

Elsewhere in the collection is Mahatma Gandhi’s signature from December 1931.

It is believed that this rare exhibit was acquired on the day Gandhi returned home from a trip to meet the Italian fascist leader Mussolini.

And another rarity is a signature from Sitting Bull.

Sitting Bull led the Lakota Indian tribe in the 19th century during years of resistance against white settlers.

He fought alongside Sioux chief Crazy Bull in the Battle of Little Big Horn, where native troops defeated federal troops in one of the most significant conflicts on the American prairie.

Peter said: “It is quite unusual to see a collection of this kind, given the various signatures included.

“Usually people collect famous people from TV and film, but to have such a diverse collection – including some very rare pieces – is very unusual.”

However, the superstars of pop culture are also missing from this collection.

There are early signatures from the Beatles, Nirvana, Bob Marley and Jim Morrison of The Doors.

Mohammed Ali is also represented in the collection, the work of Franz-Peter Bach, a German collector.

It is now being sold after his death, with half of the proceeds going to the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the German Animal Welfare Association.

Peter added: “It’s quite a big thing to start collecting autographs again. There’s an argument that it’s dying out a bit now because – in the age of selfies – maybe people aren’t asking for an autograph anymore, they’re asking for a selfie.”

For more information about the auction, visit the Dawsons website.