Iron helmet from Iran

erlikhan · 28th February 2005, 10:35 PM

this is a helmet from Iran standing on my percussion rifle. beautifully hand chiselled iron and gold-silver koftgari. chain protection is the most elegant and stylish I have ever seen. can anybody guess from which century it is?

http://www.pbase.com/erlik35/inbox

regards

B.I · 28th February 2005, 11:08 PM

i would say it was persian, 19thC. later quajar period. the foral design is interesting and uncommon. the decoration seems chisselled, but heavily cleaned. it has the softer feeling of etching but is a little too deep, as if the hard lines have been over-cleaned. the nasal bar could possible be a replacemet. maybe still 19thC, but from a different helmet. the design is right, but the chisselling is light and not en suite. the camail has patterened brass links, interspersed with steel links. probably butted, as this type of helmet normally held.
the bowl is normally of one piece contruction, and relatively light (half the weight of a 17thC helmet). this donates a decorative use. they were made as wall hangings and bought brand new in the bazaars during the 19thC. this assessment is based on many i have seen, of the same form, and so am assuming this is the case with yours. i have a few of very similar form.
a nice piece and they look great mounted. commercial aspect depends solely on the quality of the chisselling and amount and quality of the goldwork, which vary from crude to absolutely stunning. just an opinion.

erlikhan · 28th February 2005, 11:26 PM

B.I, thanks for the information. it is not mine yet . there are faint gold koftgari remains on the nasal bar, and its decoration is the same style with its spike. because of these, i think it must be original. i would like to see pictures of yours, if you have very similar ones. i have heard that, to compare high quality helmets or shields between each other, gold koftgari is not so difficult or expensive, you can even cover all helmet or shield with koftgari if you wish, but a good quality iron chiselling is more desicive about value as it is a more difficult kind of art and was hard and expensive in past too. and can you estimate price? you can send private message for that.
regards

Conogre · 1st March 2005, 02:24 AM

Somehow I think I could force myself to accept one of these, even with all of the negative aspects!
To my poor old untrained western eye it's simply beautiful.
For that type of skill and artistry to be considered less is completely beyond my ability to comprehend.
Mike

B.I · 1st March 2005, 08:28 AM

erlikhan,
i've sent you a PM.

Ann Feuerbach · 3rd March 2005, 02:34 AM

Nice piece..here's my 2 cents..late Safavid?

28th February 2005, 10:35 PM	#1
erlikhan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Istanbul Posts: 452	Iron helmet from Iran this is a helmet from Iran standing on my percussion rifle. beautifully hand chiselled iron and gold-silver koftgari. chain protection is the most elegant and stylish I have ever seen. can anybody guess from which century it is? http://www.pbase.com/erlik35/inbox regards

28th February 2005, 11:26 PM	#3
erlikhan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Istanbul Posts: 452	B.I, thanks for the information. it is not mine yet . there are faint gold koftgari remains on the nasal bar, and its decoration is the same style with its spike. because of these, i think it must be original. i would like to see pictures of yours, if you have very similar ones. i have heard that, to compare high quality helmets or shields between each other, gold koftgari is not so difficult or expensive, you can even cover all helmet or shield with koftgari if you wish, but a good quality iron chiselling is more desicive about value as it is a more difficult kind of art and was hard and expensive in past too. and can you estimate price? you can send private message for that. regards Last edited by erlikhan; 1st March 2005 at 12:25 PM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

28th February 2005, 11:08 PM	#2
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	i would say it was persian, 19thC. later quajar period. the foral design is interesting and uncommon. the decoration seems chisselled, but heavily cleaned. it has the softer feeling of etching but is a little too deep, as if the hard lines have been over-cleaned. the nasal bar could possible be a replacemet. maybe still 19thC, but from a different helmet. the design is right, but the chisselling is light and not en suite. the camail has patterened brass links, interspersed with steel links. probably butted, as this type of helmet normally held. the bowl is normally of one piece contruction, and relatively light (half the weight of a 17thC helmet). this donates a decorative use. they were made as wall hangings and bought brand new in the bazaars during the 19thC. this assessment is based on many i have seen, of the same form, and so am assuming this is the case with yours. i have a few of very similar form. a nice piece and they look great mounted. commercial aspect depends solely on the quality of the chisselling and amount and quality of the goldwork, which vary from crude to absolutely stunning. just an opinion.

1st March 2005, 02:24 AM	#4
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	Somehow I think I could force myself to accept one of these, even with all of the negative aspects! To my poor old untrained western eye it's simply beautiful. For that type of skill and artistry to be considered less is completely beyond my ability to comprehend. Mike

1st March 2005, 08:28 AM	#5
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	erlikhan, i've sent you a PM.

3rd March 2005, 02:34 AM	#6
Ann Feuerbach Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 133	Nice piece..here's my 2 cents..late Safavid?