London – The 18th century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in South India, Tipu Sultan, was ferocious and uncompromising in battle – not for nothing was he known as the Tiger of Mysore. He was also a great administrative reformer, introducing a new coinage system and calendar and laying the foundations of the Mysore silk industry. Hailed in India for his implacable and spirited resistance to British rule, Tipu built up not only a formidable arsenal for his armies but also a personal armoury. A rare silver-mounted gold-koftgari steel repeating flintlock sporting gun from the latter will be offered at Bonhams 342-lot Islamic and Indian Sale in London on Monday 25 October. Made by Sayyid Dawud in the Haidernagar workshop, it is estimated at £250,000-350,000.

Bonhams Head of Islamic and Indian Art, Oliver White, said: "This fascinating sporting gun bears the distinctive control mark of weapons made for Tipu's personal use. Most items from Tipu's personal armoury confiscated after the Siege of Seringapatam in May 1799, at which Tipu was killed, were in pristine condition. This gun, however, was already damaged when it was first acquired, suggesting that it was picked up from the battlefield itself. Intriguingly, it may even have been with the Sultan at the time of his death."

Other highlights of the sale include:

• An Umayyad bronze censer in the form of a horse from the eastern Mediterranean, possibly Syria, 7th/ 8th century. The existence of incense burners is recorded very early in Islamic history and was almost certainly heavily influenced by their use in Byzantine liturgy. Though the influence of Byzantine art is visible in the present lot, the horse has been rendered in an altogether more stylised manner than examples from the Christian East, such as the Horses of Saint Mark in Venice. Estimate: £100,000-120,000.

• An extremely rare and fine example of the order of the Propitious Star of the Punjab (kaukab-i-iqbal-i-punjab), instituted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, second class. Fascinated by the idea of European medals and orders, Ranjit Singh introduced three fixed awards of his own. The highest was for Princes; the second class, for 'relatives and brotherhood' of the Maharajah and the third for high dignitaries, colonels, and those providing honourable service. These were differentiated by the quality of the stones: respectively, diamonds, diamonds and emeralds, or emeralds only. The recipient of the Order in the sale is unknown, but judging by its quality it was intended for presentation to members of the second rank - courtiers, sardars, governors of provinces, General officers, diplomats and envoys. Examples of these orders are very rare. Estimate: £60,000-80,000.

• A collection of miniatures which are being sold without reserve. Among the highlights of the eight works are an illustration to the Ramayana: Rama, Sita and Lakshmana meeting holy men in the forest, Kangra. It was executed around 1820. Estimate: £20,000-30,000.

• Two photographs by William Willoughby Hooper (1837–1912) and George Western (1837–1907), taken in Hyderabad in around 1865 – A Nihang bodyguard serving in the Nizam of Hyderabad's irregular Sikh army and a Nihang with a conspicuous tall turban. It is likely that these warriors were members of the Sikh community located in Central India and connected with Takht Hazoor Sahib, the final resting place of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Estimate: £25,000-35,000 each.

• A collection of Sogdian silk samite fragments from the 7th-9th centuries which includes a fragment depicting confronting pheasants. Estimate: at £30,000-40,000.

14 October 2021