A FINE SOUTH INDIAN SWORD (PATA), LATE 16TH/17TH CENTURY, POSSIBLY THANJAVUR, TAMIL NADU with broad straight double-edged European blade formed with a long central fuller and stamped with three celestial motifs on each face, robust iron gauntlet hilt extending over the forte with a pair of shaped langets chiselled over their surface with a symmetrical design of flowers and foliage and with lotus flower terminals, a pair of low domed moulded panels over the hand finely pierced with a design of scrolling foliage inhabited by monsters, flaring over the fore-arm and pierced and chiselled en suite with an elliptical beadwork moulding in the middle, strongly moulded border, the interior with a single grip-bar and arm bar chiselled with foliage and with recurved bud-shaped finials, 95.0 cm blade Roy Elvis Catalogue Number C73

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