Shikaris with a small bear, Kallikote, Bengal, late 19th century

A small 3½ x 2½ ins well toned group portrait of shikaris photographed with a small bear. Some of the party wear uniform and may well the local Raja’s men. The card measures 6 x 4¼ ins There is loss to the lower right left corner and some small holes, of which only four penetrate the photograph, all in the background. The verso shows the photogrpah as being taken by  The Rajah’s Studio, Kallikote Rajbati. The minor princely state of Kallikote is now known as Khallikote and is in the modern state of Odisha, down the coast from Kolkata / Calcutta. There is a vertical crease to the photograph unfortunately running through the very short shikari on the left.        jan14/3