A fine Mughal sabre (tulwar), India, 18th century

Philippe Missillier Collection no.199C

Although the strong, somewhat austere palmette design regularly placed across the hilt and mounts is very rare, the square cross borders are more commonly seen, especially on enamelled sword hilts from eighteenth-century Awadh. A comparable example is now in the Wallace Collection, London (inv. no.OA1439) and is set with a blade decorated with a gold overlaid umbrella (chhatri) mark.