Lot 221
A fine gold koftgari steel push dagger (katar) with tiger stripe (bubri) decoration South India, Probably Mysore, 18th Century
25 October 2021, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£80,000 - £120,000
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A fine gold koftgari steel push dagger (katar) with tiger stripe (bubri) decoration
South India, Probably Mysore, 18th Century
South India, Probably Mysore, 18th Century
the double edged European blade of straight form with two fullers, the hilt of typical form with flaring handguards terminating in a scalloped edge, the grips of multifaceted form with compressed globular steel beads between, the forte in the form of a palmette surmounted by a trefoil, profusely decorated in gold overlay with a repeat design of bubri motifs, the corners near the forte with floral motifs
54.8 cm. long
54.8 cm. long
Footnotes
This high quality katar, with its elongated and ornamental forte, is of a type regularly attributed to South India. The very fine and well preserved koftgari decoration in the form of tiger stripes, or bubri, is almost certainly unique on such a weapon and it is highly likely that the dagger has a connection with the court of Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Though most of the weapons known to have had personal connections with the Sultan carry inscriptions as well as bubri motifs, it is clear that the use of the iconography of the tiger was not strictly reserved for the use of the ruler himself, and if the present lot was not from his personal armoury, it was likely produced for one of his high ranking officials or officers. There are a number of swords with tiger head hilts which are considered to have been produced for his immediate circle, such as an example in the National Museum of Scotland which is believed to have been presented to Captain Aneas Mackay following his imprisonment at Seringapatam (M.2004.53). Other examples of pieces which attest to the wider use of the bubri motif in Mysore at the time include an embroidered velvet quiver and arm guards and a further pair of arm guards both sold through these rooms (see Islamic and Indian Art including the Tipu Sultan Collection, 21 April 2015, lots 150 and 152).