Sword sold for 14M sterling Tipu Sultan’s legendary ‘Bedchamber Sword
 

Hi All
Well is anyone the proud new owner of this sword,
Try explaining this purchase to loved ones
Regards
ken

https://www.bonhams.com/stories/36428/

for prosperity text below
Take a closer look at Indian ruler Tipu Sultan’s legendary ‘Bedchamber Sword’—sold for over £14million in our Islamic and Indian Art auction on 23 May in London—its history, inscriptions and meanings.

The most important weapon associated with the ‘Tiger of Mysore’

Tipu Sultan ruled the Kingdom of Mysore in Southern India between 1782 and 1799. He is remembered as one of the most creative, innovative and capable rulers of the pre-colonial period and put up a strong resistance against the British East India Company. In 1799, the Company army, led by Major General Baird—a former inmate of Tipu’s prisons—laid siege to Tipu’s capital of Seringapatam. The city was overrun and the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ was himself killed during the action.

The ‘Bedchamber Sword’ was found in his private apartments following the battle. It is undoubtedly the most important weapon that can be directly associated with Tipu and, in being presented to Baird as a trophy following the battle, can almost be seen as the symbol of the sultan himself—his power and authority being yielded to the British General in defeat.

Yikes! That's an order of magnitude beyond what I'll earn in a lifetime. :eek:

And here I'm trying to justify spending my measly tax return money (less than 1/10000th of this amount) on a sword to myself. :D

The sales pitch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfn7iWe_1yw

I was watching this. Comes to around $17,460,316 USD. :eek:

I'll take two.. :D

Skinflint!!!!:D:D:D

Impressive price for a sword.

It could use some cleaning imho.

80 grit sand paper on a buffing wheel should sort it out, ;-)

* glances sideways at that clearly visible fingerprint *

Shame some Brit scratched all those letters on it. Must have lowered the price by a few million. Not what I'd call 'perfectly preserved, as noted it's a bit tarnished in spots.


Never trust an Autioneer's description, they lie to make more money from buyer's and sellor's commission fees.


I'd call it a kirach myself. Tipu was known to like animalistic hilted weapons.
Maybe I should engrave my Kirach an inscription saying it was captured from inside Tipu's commode, where he kept it for protection while planning his next movements..

Perhaps I'm mistaken but I was under the impression that a defining feature of a kirach was that it curves forward somewhat?

And sometimes more than somewhat. ;)