Sultan's lost treasure taken by Scots forces turns up at auction

But now, a "wonderful" gold finial taken from India by Scots forces is to be sold off.

The gem-encrusted figure, shaped like a tiger, is being put up for auction by a Scots family living overseas.

The antiquity, which was long thought to have been lost or destroyed, had been passed down the family over the course of two centuries, but its current owners did not realise the significance of the item until they were informed by astonished specialists.

Lavishly decorated, the finial once formed part of the famous octagonal throne of Tipu Sultan in his kingdom of Mysore.

Throughout the latter half of the 18th century, he proved a thorn in the side of Britain's efforts to extend its grip on the sub-continent. Known as the 'Tiger of Mysore', he and his father waged four wars with the British, conflicts fought by a predominantly Scottish force.

After Tipu's death in 1799, the controversial decision was taken to break up his throne, a move opposed by the British Governor-General Lord Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington.

Until now, it is thought just three tiger head finials from the original eight had been sold, but the latest discovery has been greeted with wonder with experts of Tipu Sultan.

The finial will be auctioned at Bonhams in London this October. Last April, the auction house sold a near identical finial for 389,600.

Claire Penhallurick, director of Islamic and Indian art at Bonhams, told The Scotsman it was possible some of the other elusive finials could still be in the ownership of Scottish families, given the nation's historic links with Mysore.

She said: "It is an extraordinary privilege to be selling a second such wonderful finial from Tipu Sultan's throne. To sell one is amazing, but to have two in less than two years is almost unbelievable.

"These items are without doubt of the greatest historical significance as they belong to the most important symbolic object in Tipu's kingdom, his throne, which he refused to mount until he had defeated the British."

The family selling the finial are direct descendants of Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Bowser, who served in Mysore and became governor of Madras.

Ms Penhallurick added: "The family are private individuals of Scottish descent, who now live overseas and wish to remain anonymous. This has all come as something of a shock to them.

"It is a fascinating story. Until last year when we sold the Hope-Wallace finial, there were two other known finials of the original eight - one in the Clive Collection at Powis Castle and another that was sold in London in the 1970s, but its whereabouts now is unknown. "There are possibly four more finials out there somewhere, probably in private hands and unidentified as the two we have handled have been,

"The chances are that they are in Scotland, since so many key figures of that period of British Indian history were Scottish."

Also being sold in the same auction on 7 October is an eyewitness account by Benjamin Sydenham of the battle which led to the final destruction of Tipu Sultan and his forces.

Tiger's wars

TIPU Sultan, who famously declared he would "rather live one day as a tiger than a lifetime as a sheep", was a thorn in the side of the British empire.

The 'Tiger of Mysore' waged several wars with the British, until Scottish soldiers ended his reign in 1799. A special force was raised to combat him including Seaforth's Highlanders.

Leading the Scots was General Sir David Baird, who had been imprisoned by Tipu for nearly four years after the Battle of Pollilur.