The Walters Art Museum


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Inscribed Helmet with Neck Guard of Mail and Nose Guard

Anonymous (Turkish) (?)

Anonymous (Iranian) (?)

mid 15th-16th century (Early Modern)

steel with inlaid gold

20 1/4 x 9 15/16 in. (51.5 x 25.3 cm)

Description
This helmet bears the distinctive mark of the royal arsenal in Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Dynasty of Turkey (1453-1922). Composed of a circle enclosing a loop over three vertical lines, the stamp is clearly visible to the right of the nose guard on this helmet. In 1839, the Ottoman repository discarded some of its holdings and sold them on the open market. The famous French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme was among the European collectors who acquired these Islamic arms and armor including this very helmet.
Additional Information

Acquired by Henry Walters, 1913

51.74

Centre Street: Third Floor: Islamic Arms & Armor

Turkey (?)

northwest Iran (?)


Provenance

Armory of Constantinople; Jean-Léon Gérome (1824-1904), Paris [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Dikran Kelekian, Constantinople and Paris [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1913, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

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