Two South Indian Bronze Animal-hilted shortswords

 Two interesting curved shortswords or knives from South India. Typically cast from brass or bronze and having animalistic features: here one perhaps with a lions or tigers face, the other with various makarra monster heads decorating the quillon guards and handguard. One with deeply curved steel blade, the other of recurved form, both have traces of silver decoration near/under the hilt parts which appear to have been more extensive, now worn. Both hilts show plenty of age wear and lots of charm, and retain an old layer of varnish. Perhaps Mysore or Madurai, 20 inches approximately, probably 18th/early century in date. indo persian, indian