A Silver And Gold-Damascened Steel Elephant Goad (Ankus)
Possibly Rajasthan, North-Western India, 19th century

Of typical shape, with a curved blade and drop-shaped flat spike at the top, the tapering faceted handle hollow and divided into six openwork sections, the inner core fitted with small steel bells, the blade, spike, and bottom pommel decorated with silver and gold-damascened (koftgari) scrolling rosette and elaborate vegetal sprays, below the curved blade a small stylised gilt makara head, the rounded pommel decorated with a diamond-shaped grid filled with stylised jagged golden leaves, possibly a coat-of-arms of one of the Rajput families ruling over Rajasthani territory, a later chainlet attached to the base of the handle, 55.8cm long.

The shape and design of our ankus are analogous to many known examples usually attributed to Rajasthan (often Bikaner and Jodhpur) dating to the 19th century. For a comparison, please see the koftgari ankus in the Wallace Collection (inv. no. OA1599); in the National Army Museum (acc. no. NAM. 1952-05-7-1); and other similar lots offered in the auction market in the last few years at Christie's London, 11 April 2014, lot 39, and 24 May 2017, lot 200; and Sotheby's London, 25 October 2017, lot 175, and 25 April 2018, lot 162.