A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT SWORD FROM THE CIRCLE OF TIPU SULTAN

Central Indian, last quarter of the 18th century. Shamshir form blade, 30 1/8" long, of broad thick form with beveled edges and slightly raised false edge. The right side struck with a maker’s mark of the peepal tree, the Tree of Life. The blade is noticeably heavy as expected from an example captured in the 18th century and spared the repeated polishing of those preserved in Indian arsenals. Bronze hilt, originally gilt with fully modeled tiger head pommel. The grip or body of the tiger as well as the head of the tiger are covered in the bubri marks, stylized tiger stripes emblematic to Tipu Sultan, The Tiger of Mysore. They were incorporated into the decoration of the things which served Tipu personally including his weapons. See Treasures from India, the Clive Collection at Powis Castle, figure 19 and figure 33 which illustrates some of the booty related to Tipu, returned from the Battle of Serirangapatnam by Robert and Edward Clive, after Tipu’s death.  See also the personal sword