Photographs ofMaharajas and their retinue in armour...

[maxwellnorth]

I have seen photos online from the 19th century depicting Maharajas and members of their courts, specifically bodyguards I believe, wearing examples of char aina and other armours. Does anyone know if any of these photographs have been reproduced in any books or publications?

[Jens Nordlunde]

You can see these pictures now and again, but as far as I know, they are not collected in one book.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by maxwellnorth

I have seen photos online from the 19th century depicting Maharajas and members of their courts, specifically bodyguards I believe, wearing examples of char aina and other armours. Does anyone know if any of these photographs have been reproduced in any books or publications?

Photos of any Indian armor being worn are very rare, we are lucky that people did take photographs and that some survived. Illustrations showing armor being worn in India are quite rare as well, but the amount of surviving examples of Indian armor shows that it was quite common. Examples of armor from near by cultures such as Persian and the Ottoman empire are much harder to find.

Kishan Singhji, Rawat of Bijolia c1870s, wearing full protective armour, gold damascened 4-piece char aina cuirass body armour, secured with leather straps, ensuite damascened dastana arm guards with mail gauntlets, padded shoulder protective epaulettes, kula khud helmet with camail and sliding nasal, surmounted by horse hair spray and peacock feather finial, and jewelled necklaces with pendants and he carries the traditional Rajput tulwar sword.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Judging by the amount of time I have spent initially looking for such pictures it is my view that there are but a few...Here is a portrait of one set;

... Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the first ruler of the Sikh Empire after gaining independence from the Afghan Empire, India, wearing zirah (mail shirt), top (helmet), char-aina (chahar-aina, chahar a’ineh), literally the four mirrors, chest armor with four plates, dastanas/bazu band (vambrace/arm guards), dhal (shield) and scimitar (sword).

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Judging by the amount of time I have spent initially looking for such pictures it is my view that there are but a few...Here is a portrait of one set;

... Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the first ruler of the Sikh Empire after gaining independence from the Afghan Empire, India, wearing zirah (mail shirt), top (helmet), char-aina (chahar-aina, chahar a’ineh), literally the four mirrors, chest armor with four plates, dastanas/bazu band (vambrace/arm guards), dhal (shield) and scimitar (sword).

Ibrahiim, This is a great image, I have been trying to find the date it was made and who made it but no luck, do you or anyone else here know who painted this and when?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Ibrahiim, This is a great image, I have been trying to find the date it was made and who made it but no luck, do you or anyone else here know who painted this and when?

SEE http://www.sikhmuseum.com/helmet/ran...njitsingh.html
and https://www.pinterest.com/worldantiq...ntings-mughal/ where it states there were no known portraits of him in armour during his lifetime. I cannot find the artist but it could be the same one who painted another picture ...below which for some reason will not copy...