What is this? Not to be amazed at what can come out of India ... I thought this has to be recorded ... It is claimed as Indian 17th Century... Photographed at the San Diego Museum of Art in San Diego, California. Comments please?
As an afternote I add that in Diverse arms Orientals plate 32 Butin there are several Horse heads with what could be called ears. In addition there was a sword of Tipu Sultan with similar hilt. See
http://www.tessier-sarrou.com/html/f...rdre=&aff=5&r= and below
The finial at the end of the knuckleguard on the Indian item ends in a bud whereas on the Zanzibari Ivory piece it is a geometric dragon with RR almost as a monogram with fowers and dots engraved. The Knuckleguard however follows the contours of the horses face in both.
The quality of craftsmen in the Indian Ocean basin was excellent as seen by the Ivory carved hilt and by ivory combs executed in exacting detail. Thus the Indian version is viewed perhaps as a hybrid of top class artesanship in the general region.