A PERSIAN DECORATED ARMOUR, QAJAR, MID-19TH CENTURY

A PERSIAN DECORATED ARMOUR, QAJAR, MID-19TH CENTURY comprising helmet (kulah-khud), with hemi-spherical skull reinforced on the inside by thin plates retained by rivets with decorative round heads, rising in the centre to a robust central spike with moulded base, fitted at the front with a sliding nasal bar secured by a thumb-screw, a pair of slender plume-holders, and mail neck-defence of small butted rings of circular-section wire, the skull decorated with a complex pattern of pierced interlaced ribbon-like cartouches, enriched on the outer face with gold koftgari, and the base encircled by chiselled calligraphic cartouches enriched with silver koftgari, with its padded lining; shield (dhal) of low convex form, reinforced in a similar manner to the helmet, with brass brim and the outer surface decorated en suite (three rivets for enarmes and all four bosses missing); arm defence (bazu band) of gutter-shaped form, retaining its wrist plates, buckles and lining and decorated en suite (the mail with small losses) 26.7 cm; 10 1/2 in high, the kulah khud 45.5 cm; 18 in diameter, the dhal 35.5 cm; 14 in, the bazu band (3) The inscriptions are unusual in the inclusion of an Armenian maker~s name: ~amal-i baghdasiyan(?), probably for ~Work of Baghdasiyan(?)|.