Click to play videoLondon: A second piece of rare gem from the throne of 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan will be auctioned off in London.
This gem-encrusted gold finial from the golden throne of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, will come under the hammer at Bonhams in London on Friday. This is the second such ornamental piece to pass through the auction house within 18 months.
"This originated from a valuation in Canada by our Canadian representative,” said Matthew Thomas, Bonhams.
This finial, now on sale, is one of three surviving tiger head finials that adorned Tipu's elaborate throne. The famous golden throne was broken up so that the elements could be shared among the Brits after the battle of Srirangapattnam in 1799. No surprise then that the pieces keep surfacing in various parts of the world. The first piece was sold for over Rs 3 crores. The auction house can only guess what the second will go for.
“It’s always difficult to say in these instances, the estimate is 200,000 pounds to 300,000 pounds," said Thomas.
Tipu Sultan's memorabilia has always generated a lot of interest in the art world, the earlier finial like this one sold for nearly 400,000 pounds and Bonhams is hoping that this one generates as much interest.
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