No takers for Tipu Sultan's sword at Christie's auction

NAOMI CANTON / TNN / Updated: Oct 27, 2023, 07:49 IST

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A personal sword belonging to Tipu Sultan of Mysore failed to sell at a Christie's auction. The sword, which was gifted to former British governor-general Charles Cornwallis, had an estimated value of £1.5 million to £2 million. The sword was expected to be bought by a museum in the Middle East but did not achieve its reserve price. The sword was one of two given to Cornwallis after Tipu Sultan's defeat and was being sold to fund the restoration of the family's stately home. The recent Israel-Gaza war and high interest rates may have impacted bids.

No takers for Tipu Sultan's sword at Christie's auction

Photo credit: Christie’s Images 2023

LONDON: A personal sword belonging to Tipu Sultan of Mysore, which was gifted to former British governor-general of India Charles Cornwallis (before reappointment to the post) after the fall of Seringapatam, which stayed in his family ever since has failed to sell at a Christie's auction. It had an estimate of £1.5 million (Rs 15 crore) to £2 million (Rs 20 crore).
The sword (lot 100) had been expected to be bought by a museum in the Middle East, and to have gone for a huge amount after the bedchamber sword of Tipu Sultan, which was given to Major General Baird, who laid the final siege to Tipu's capital, had sold for £14 million (Rs 141 crore) at Bonhams on May 23 this year.

But on Thursday, lot 100 failed to achieve its reserve price.

A sword (talwar) and scabbard from the personal armoury of Tipu Sultan which has been kept in the family of Charles Cornwallis since he was gifted it in 1799 with an estimate value of £1.5m to £2m failed to sell at Christie's on Thursday. Image credit : Christie’s Images 2023

This sword was one of two swords from the personal armour of Tipu Sultan that had been given to Charles, the 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl Cornwallis, in 1799, directly after Tipu's defeat, and passed down his family. Cornwallis was appointed governor-general and commander-in-chief of British India in February 1786 and led the British forces during the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

He was reappointed in 1805 but died barely a little over two months in the job. His descendants had put the two swords up for sale to pay for the expensive restoration of their stately home, Port Eliot, in Cornwall, where they live.
The second sword the family put up for auction (lot 101), a gem-set and enamelled sword and scabbard, did sell for £100,800 (Rs 100 lakh). It had an estimate of £80k to £120k (Rs 80 to Rs 120 lakh). Two other weapons belonging to the armies of Tipu Sultan which were put up for auction at the same sale by a different collector, also failed to sell. One (lot 102) is fitted with a captured English blade, which Tipu had taken as war booty in a previous battle. The blade is held in the jaws of a tiger’s head shaped pommel. A flintlock musketoon made for Tipu Sultan (lot 103) also failed to get its reserve price.
It is thought the Israel-Gaza war may have impacted bids on these swords at Thursday's "Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds" sale, as well as high interest rates and inflation.

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