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The Sultan's bounty: British Army officer's family are set to make MILLIONS after rifle fired by Indian ruler the 'Tiger of Mysore' in last stand against the Duke of Wellington is found among rare haul in dusty attic
JOE MIDDLETON
6 March 2019
The family of a British army officer who returned from India with a stunning bounty of artefacts are set to become millionaires after finding the items wrapped in newspaper in their dusty attic.
The treasures include the very gun the Tipu Sultan, known as the 'Tiger of Mysore', used in his last stand against the Duke of Wellington-led forces in 1799.
The weapons were taken from Tipu Sultan's palace and brought back to Britain by Major Thomas Hart of the British East India Company following the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war.
They were passed down through his family and now belong to a couple who have kept them wrapped in newspaper in the dusty attic of their semi-detached home in Berkshire for years.
Indian hero Tipu Sultan's battle damaged flintlock musket. Major Thomas Hart brought the weapons back to the UK. His lucky descendents are likely to become overnight millionaires after retrieving the historic items from their dusty attic
The stylised tiger stripes in gold on the muskets barrel alerted the autioneer Anthony Cribb to the weapon's historical status
The trigger and wooden stop have been badly damaged by a musket ball - the same one that could possibly have led to the demise of Indian folk hero, Tipu
Tipu Sultan's ornate solid gold betel nut casket which amazingly still contains 220 year old nuts. The fascinating treasures were taken from Tipu's captured fortress of Seringapatam in the wake of his defeat by British forces led by a young Duke of Wellington in 1799
Major Thomas Hart's solid gold seal ring, used by the East India Company officer in lieu of cash payment for supplies
In total the vendor brought in four swords, all bearing the mark of Tipu Sultan. Tipu was last seen on the battlements of the fortress firing his hunting musket at the advancing British and after the fierce encounter his body was found bearing many wounds, including a musket ball shot above his right eye
The collection also features Tipu's solid gold four-compartment betel nut box with with three 220 year old nuts still inside. The nuts were a natural stimulant, much like caffeine, and it is thought Tipu ingested one before the fateful battle
The flintlock musket used by the 'Tiger of Mysore' used in his last stand against the British has a tiger stripe pattern unique to Tipu and there is also damage caused by the musket ball that killed him.
In addition there is also his a gold-encrusted firangi sword that bears the mark of Haider Ali Khan, Tipu's father and the previous ruler of Mysore.
The items are expected to sell for several millions of pounds.
In 2016 a sale of other items that belonged to Tipu were sold at auction for £6m.
Auctioneer Anthony Cribb holding the Tipu Sultan's sword complete with ornate gold inlay and Persian letter mark proving its ownership
The stylised tiger stripes are repeated on the muskets battle damaged bayonet. Also included in the sale are four ornate gold-encrusted sword's bearing the mark of Haider Ali Khan, Tipu's father and the previous ruler of independent Mysore
'Once in a lifetime find': Auctioneer Anthony Cribb with the Tiger of Mysore's ornate gold encrusted sword
The peacock lock revealed 220 year old betel nuts in brilliant condition. The collection of objects have been passed down through the family ever since and now belong to a couple who have kept them wrapped in newspaper in the dusty attic of their semi-detached home for years
Auctioneer Anthony Cribb, who is selling the cache, said this latest collection is said to be more significant.
He said: 'It is impossible to put a price on these items but I would say this collection is more important than the previous one that sold.
'That one was put together over 40 years and came from lots of different places.
'But these weapons were picked up at the battlement by a military officer who was there and have been in the same family for 220 years.
'When I first saw the gun I nearly fainted. It is a once in a lifetime find.
'The owners are just an ordinary family who live in a Victorian semi-detached house.
'You could describe this find as like a lottery win for them.'
The British waged war against the ruler of Myesore Tipu Sultan after a spy intercepted a letter from French dictator Napoleon proposing an alliance with him against the British.
Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke of Wellington, led the British army into his stronghold of Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore.
The British soldiers breached the walls of its fortress and Tipu fired longarm muskets at them handed to him by his servants, as if on a safari shoot.
He was killed when a musket ball deflected off his gun and struck him above the right eye - Wellesley dashed to the scene to check Tipu's pulse.
In the wake of the victory, British soldiers pillaged the city and Tipu's palace, treasury and armoury, helping themselves to the wealthy sultan's bejewelled possessions and impressive arms.
Tipu Sultans sword complete with ornate gold inlay. Stunning artefacts from Indian hero Tipu Sultan's fateful last stand have been rediscovered by the family of an East India Company Major who took part in the famous battle that ended his reign
The marquee lot in the Berkshire collection is the 21-shot repeating flintlock musket gun used by Tipu in battle.
There are two identical weapons in near-perfect condition at Windsor Castle after they were brought back and gifted to King George III.
The collection also features Tipu's solid gold four-compartment betel nut box with with three 220 year old nuts still inside.
The nuts were a natural stimulant, much like caffeine, and it is thought Tipu ingested one before the fateful battle.
And a 24ct gold seal ring that belonged to Maj Hart is also in the sale.
Mr Cribb, of Newbury, Berks, said: 'Tipu is a hugely important figure historically who inflicted heavy defeats on the British which made him top of their hit-list.
'Items unique to Tipu are very rare and we have already had interest from collectors in India, America and the Middle East.
'This collection might make millions and we just don't know until the day.'
'The gun clearly demonstrates the Bubri design which was unique to Tipu Sultan and it appears to have been damaged by a musket ball in battle.
'There are two identical guns of his that were given as a gift to the King by a returning general and they are today in Windsor Castle and are in excellent order.
'The vendors are just rationalising inheritance.
'I don't think they were aware of the value of these items. They just thought they were stuff brought back from Indian that the family had have always and they didn't think it was hugely important.'
The gun, four swords, a black lacquered shield, the betel nut box and the gold seal ring will be sold at auction at the Milton House Hotel, near Abingdon, Oxon, on March 26.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Mysore-battle-against-Duke-Wellington-UK.html
JOE MIDDLETON
6 March 2019
The family of a British army officer who returned from India with a stunning bounty of artefacts are set to become millionaires after finding the items wrapped in newspaper in their dusty attic.
The treasures include the very gun the Tipu Sultan, known as the 'Tiger of Mysore', used in his last stand against the Duke of Wellington-led forces in 1799.
The weapons were taken from Tipu Sultan's palace and brought back to Britain by Major Thomas Hart of the British East India Company following the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war.
They were passed down through his family and now belong to a couple who have kept them wrapped in newspaper in the dusty attic of their semi-detached home in Berkshire for years.
Indian hero Tipu Sultan's battle damaged flintlock musket. Major Thomas Hart brought the weapons back to the UK. His lucky descendents are likely to become overnight millionaires after retrieving the historic items from their dusty attic
The stylised tiger stripes in gold on the muskets barrel alerted the autioneer Anthony Cribb to the weapon's historical status
The trigger and wooden stop have been badly damaged by a musket ball - the same one that could possibly have led to the demise of Indian folk hero, Tipu
Tipu Sultan's ornate solid gold betel nut casket which amazingly still contains 220 year old nuts. The fascinating treasures were taken from Tipu's captured fortress of Seringapatam in the wake of his defeat by British forces led by a young Duke of Wellington in 1799
Major Thomas Hart's solid gold seal ring, used by the East India Company officer in lieu of cash payment for supplies
In total the vendor brought in four swords, all bearing the mark of Tipu Sultan. Tipu was last seen on the battlements of the fortress firing his hunting musket at the advancing British and after the fierce encounter his body was found bearing many wounds, including a musket ball shot above his right eye
The collection also features Tipu's solid gold four-compartment betel nut box with with three 220 year old nuts still inside. The nuts were a natural stimulant, much like caffeine, and it is thought Tipu ingested one before the fateful battle
The flintlock musket used by the 'Tiger of Mysore' used in his last stand against the British has a tiger stripe pattern unique to Tipu and there is also damage caused by the musket ball that killed him.
In addition there is also his a gold-encrusted firangi sword that bears the mark of Haider Ali Khan, Tipu's father and the previous ruler of Mysore.
The items are expected to sell for several millions of pounds.
In 2016 a sale of other items that belonged to Tipu were sold at auction for £6m.
Auctioneer Anthony Cribb holding the Tipu Sultan's sword complete with ornate gold inlay and Persian letter mark proving its ownership
The stylised tiger stripes are repeated on the muskets battle damaged bayonet. Also included in the sale are four ornate gold-encrusted sword's bearing the mark of Haider Ali Khan, Tipu's father and the previous ruler of independent Mysore
'Once in a lifetime find': Auctioneer Anthony Cribb with the Tiger of Mysore's ornate gold encrusted sword
The peacock lock revealed 220 year old betel nuts in brilliant condition. The collection of objects have been passed down through the family ever since and now belong to a couple who have kept them wrapped in newspaper in the dusty attic of their semi-detached home for years
Auctioneer Anthony Cribb, who is selling the cache, said this latest collection is said to be more significant.
He said: 'It is impossible to put a price on these items but I would say this collection is more important than the previous one that sold.
'That one was put together over 40 years and came from lots of different places.
'But these weapons were picked up at the battlement by a military officer who was there and have been in the same family for 220 years.
'When I first saw the gun I nearly fainted. It is a once in a lifetime find.
'The owners are just an ordinary family who live in a Victorian semi-detached house.
'You could describe this find as like a lottery win for them.'
The British waged war against the ruler of Myesore Tipu Sultan after a spy intercepted a letter from French dictator Napoleon proposing an alliance with him against the British.
Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke of Wellington, led the British army into his stronghold of Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore.
The British soldiers breached the walls of its fortress and Tipu fired longarm muskets at them handed to him by his servants, as if on a safari shoot.
He was killed when a musket ball deflected off his gun and struck him above the right eye - Wellesley dashed to the scene to check Tipu's pulse.
In the wake of the victory, British soldiers pillaged the city and Tipu's palace, treasury and armoury, helping themselves to the wealthy sultan's bejewelled possessions and impressive arms.
Tipu Sultans sword complete with ornate gold inlay. Stunning artefacts from Indian hero Tipu Sultan's fateful last stand have been rediscovered by the family of an East India Company Major who took part in the famous battle that ended his reign
The marquee lot in the Berkshire collection is the 21-shot repeating flintlock musket gun used by Tipu in battle.
There are two identical weapons in near-perfect condition at Windsor Castle after they were brought back and gifted to King George III.
The collection also features Tipu's solid gold four-compartment betel nut box with with three 220 year old nuts still inside.
The nuts were a natural stimulant, much like caffeine, and it is thought Tipu ingested one before the fateful battle.
And a 24ct gold seal ring that belonged to Maj Hart is also in the sale.
Mr Cribb, of Newbury, Berks, said: 'Tipu is a hugely important figure historically who inflicted heavy defeats on the British which made him top of their hit-list.
'Items unique to Tipu are very rare and we have already had interest from collectors in India, America and the Middle East.
'This collection might make millions and we just don't know until the day.'
'The gun clearly demonstrates the Bubri design which was unique to Tipu Sultan and it appears to have been damaged by a musket ball in battle.
'There are two identical guns of his that were given as a gift to the King by a returning general and they are today in Windsor Castle and are in excellent order.
'The vendors are just rationalising inheritance.
'I don't think they were aware of the value of these items. They just thought they were stuff brought back from Indian that the family had have always and they didn't think it was hugely important.'
The gun, four swords, a black lacquered shield, the betel nut box and the gold seal ring will be sold at auction at the Milton House Hotel, near Abingdon, Oxon, on March 26.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Mysore-battle-against-Duke-Wellington-UK.html
