It was ‘collected from the battlefield’
A collection of rare artefacts from Tipu Sultan’s armoury, including one of his personal swords, discovered by a couple in their attic in the English county of Berkshire has been auctioned for around £1,07,000.
The highlight of the lot was a silver-mounted 20-bore flintlock gun and bayonet. It attracted 14 bids before going under the hammer for £60,000.
“Unlike other Tipu Sultan guns this one exhibits clear signs of having been badly damaged in its past... rather than being taken directly from the rack after the fall of Seringapatam it appears to have been collected from the battlefield,” the lot description notes.
The other highlight lot, a gold-encrusted sword and suspension belt ensemble believed to be one of Tipu Sultan’s personal swords, attracted as many as 58 bids before being sold to the winning bidder for £18,500.
The two centrepieces formed part of a collection of eight items brought back by Major Thomas Hart of the East India Company after the Tiger of Mysore’s defeat at Seringapatam in 1799. Tipu died in 1799 aged 48.
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