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Iran. Of domed form, with an adjustable curved bar secured at the front by a fitted bracket, its ends expanding into leaf-shaped and rounded plates, flanked by two plume holders, and surmounted by a tall spike finial. The exterior richly damascened, depicting various palatial scenes with princes and attendants against a dense floral background, and encircled at the lower section by a band of calligraphic cartouches in Nasta‘liq script. Suspended from the helmet is an elongated nape guard fashioned from closely linked chain mail.
Inscriptions: To the lower section, repeated around the helmet, ‘Ya Qadi, Ya Subhan, Ya Fatah, Ya Ghaffar’ (‘Oh, Supreme Judge! Oh, Eternal Glory! Oh, Giver of Victory! Oh, Forgiver!’).
Provenance: From a private collection in Zagreb, Croatia.
Condition: Good condition overall with old wear, manufacturing irregularities, and traces of use. Occasional minor nicks, few small dents, and light warping. Extensive areas of corrosion. The nape mail perforated, possibly resulting from historic combat engagement.
Weight: 1,491 g
Dimensions: Height 29.8 cm (excl. aventail) and 62 cm (incl. aventail)
The Persians may justly be regarded as the principal armorers of Asia, having attained a level of craftsmanship that consistently surpassed that of their contemporaries. Throughout successive centuries, the renown of Persian armorers ensured a sustained and ever-expanding demand for their work, which circulated widely across Arabia, the Caucasus, the Indian subcontinent, Anatolia, Central Asia, and as far as Russia.
Among the earliest extant illustrated Persian manuscripts is the Jami al-Tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) by Rashid al-Din, produced in Tabriz between 1306 and 1312. The martial figures represented in this work, intended to illustrate the military practices of the period and the equipment in use appear wearing hemispherical helmets surmounted by a central finial or spike, frequently reinforced with a pronounced brow plate or with the peak turned upward. The nape defenses, executed in mail, leather, or textile, could be associated with the high, enveloping collars characteristic of lamellar cuirasses. This iconographic evidence, as observed by Henry Russell Robinson, demonstrates the continuity and wide dissemination of this defensive type within Persia, particularly in the northern and eastern regions, over a chronological span that extended into the late nineteenth century. For further insight into the evolution of Persian armor, as well as additional examples of Persian steel helmets, see Henry Russell Robinson, Oriental Armor, 1967, p. 17-50.
The inscriptions on the helmet constitute a series of religious invocations directed to Allah, calling upon his various names and attributes. They serve as both supplications and expressions of divine praise, intended to secure protection and favor in the context of combat. In this regard, the helmet transcends its function as martial equipment to become a tangible manifestation of profound devotion: the warrior venerates Allah, requests his guidance, submits to his judgment during battle, and implores mercy for the afterlife.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related forged steel helmet decorated with gold koftgari, dated to the early 19th century, 61 cm high, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession number 812-1893. Compare a related gold- and silver-inlaid steel helmet, Iran, dated 19th century, 38 cm high, in the Saint Louis Art Museum, object number 183:1957. Compare a related Persian gold-damascened steel helmet, dated 18th-19th century, 71.1 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 36.25.16.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 15 October 2004, lot 45
Price: GBP 4,302 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Qajar damascened steel khula-khud, Iran, 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form and decoration with a similar band of calligraphic inscriptions encircling the helmet, albeit damascened in gold. Note the smaller size (26.6 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 30 June 2021, lot 146
Price: EUR 3,528 or approx. EUR 4,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gold and silver-overlaid steel helmet (kulah khud), Persia, Qajar, 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form and damascened decoration. Note the size (31.1 cm).
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