Tipu's sword fetches 500,000 pounds in auction

London: Seven years after Indian liqour baron Vijay Mallya bought a sword of Tipu Sultan, a majestic sabre of the Mysore king fetched 505,250 pounds at a Sotheby's auction here.

The 200-year-old sword was estimated to go under the hammer for 50,000-70,000 pounds. It eventually sold Wednesday at nearly 10 times that estimate.

According to the auction house, there are a very small number of sword hilts, such as the one auctioned, which have a pronounced tiger theme that was a mark of Tipu's ownership.

Another highlight of the auction was a rare Indian bronze cannon cast at the Mysore king's royal foundry. This artefact from around 1790 AD was bought by an anonymous buyer at 313,250 pounds.

Among other items in the lot were a tent canopy that was sold for 121,250 pounds and a rare matchlock carbine that came under the hammer for 91,250.

The auction fetched 15.4 million pounds, compared to the 1.2 million pounds earned at the first part of the Tipu Sultan auction of 2005.
Tipu's sword fetches 500,000 pounds in auction
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