As many of you will know, the Carl Brandon Society is currently running a fund raiser called Con Or Bust, the aim of which is to helps fans of color/non-white fans attend SFF conventions. Well, I have just been alerted to a seriously cool item that is up for auction. It is a beautifully intricate palm-leaf engraving by Sri Pachanana Moharana.

Palm-leaf engraving is a traditional art from from the state of Odisha on India’s east coast. The designs are based on mythological themes, but this particular engraving has some rather unusual figures on it: robots. The engraving was originally created for an illustration for short story called “The Nayagarh Incident”. It is the original work that is being auctioned. To see pictures of it, and bid, go here.

All of which reminds me that the Translation Awards fundraiser is entering its final week. Currently there are 28 prizes and 36 donors, so your chances of winning a prize are still very good indeed. Did I mention that we have prizes donated by Miéville, George R.R. Martin and Cory Doctorow?