DECCAN OR SOUTH INDIA, FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY

Along with the sword of the previous lot and the helmet in the National Army Museum, Charles, 1^st Marquess Cornwallis was also given an elegant khanjar belonging to Tipu Sultan also now in the National Army Museum, gifted to them by the descendants of Cornwallis (NAM.1997-04-121-1, illustrated here). Like this sword, which shares the same provenance, the mounts on the sheath of that dagger are decorated with gems set against a ground of white enamel. It seems likely that that the sheath for that khanjar, and our sword were produced in the same centre and possibly that they entered Tipu’s collection at the same time.

A sword of this quality can only have been made for an important patron. Although the inlay is unusually bold in design, the artist responsible was clearly familiar with the spectacular works being produced in Hyderabad in the seventeenth century. White enamel, as is employed here, was the most difficult colour to use successfully and only a small number of high quality objects made this way exist, for example in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg and the Nasser D. Khalili Collection (Mark Zebrowski, Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India, London, 1998, nos.27,34,35, 38 and 39). Most of these are attributed to seventeenth century Hyderabad. Another tulwar with similar jewelled hilt on white ground is in the Al-Sabah Collection (sold in these Rooms, 13 October 1998, lot 134 and published Manuel Keene with Salam Kaoukji, Treasury of the World. Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals, exhibition catalogue, London, 2001, no.6.39, pp.78-79). The stones inset into this sword are both particularly large but also quite unusually set. In the angular nature of the setting it relates to a sword in the Al Sabah Collection, attributed to the Deccan, probably first half seventeenth century (published in Salam Kaoukji, Precious Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements, Kuwait, 2017, cat.103, pp.286-7).

As discussed in the note for the previous lot, the ‘Proceedings of the Committee of Prize’ that followed the demise of Tipu Sultan in 1799 mentioned “That the war Turban of Tippoo Sultan, with a sword worn by him, and the sword of Moriah Row, be presented to Marquis Cornwallis through the Commander-in-Chief as a mark of their respect”. Moriah Row may well be a Anglicisation of Murari Rao (Ghorpade; 1699-1779) who was a famous Maratha general and warrior and an ally of the British who joined Robert Clive at Arcot in 1751. He fought battles against Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan and was eventually defeated by Haidar Ali and imprisoned at Kabbaldurga fort near Bangalore until his death. It is very possible that the sword gifted to Cornwallis was in fact one taken by Haidar ‘Ali’s troops as booty and then given as part of the dispersal following Tipu’s death. It is impossible to say with absolute certainty, but might the present lot be that very sword - captured by Haidar ‘Ali from his Maratha adversary and then in turn take from his son after his fall?