A STEEL TURBAN HELMETWESTERN IRAN OR ANATOLIA, 15TH CENTURYA STEEL TURBAN HELMETWESTERN IRAN OR ANATOLIA, 15TH CENTURYThe body rising to a central finial, straight skull rising to a swollen band with thirteen flutes, struck with the Saint Irene Arsenal mark, applied steel bands around the lower edge, attachment for nose bar and seven loops to attach a mail aventail, a hook-shaped fitting riveted to the swollen band10in. (25.5cm.) highTurban helmets are a form that were worn through a wide area of the Islamic world, although predominantly in Iran and Anatolia, from the mid-14th until the early-16th century. Originally our helmet would have had a chainmail aventail below with the small hook on the skull of the helmet intended to hold this up when not in use. In his discussion on these helmets David Alexander makes a distinction of two main types: taller tapering helmets and shorter more bulbous helmets. The former group he categorises as more Ottoman and the latter as the “Aqqoyunlu/Shirvani” type (D. Alexander, “The Turban Helmet” in Metropolitan Museum Journal, volume 18, 1983, pp.97-104). Our helmet belongs to this second group with similar examples in the Kienbusch Collection (No.207) and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Inv.50.87) dating to the late 15th century. Although discerning between the Aqqoyunlu and Shirvani workshops of the 15th century is very difficult (op.cit., p.103), a helmet of similar form, with swirling – rather than vertical – ribs is in the Askeri Museum, Istanbul (No.5911) and inscribed to Farrukhsiar Shirvanshah. Stamped on the helmet is the mark of Saint Irene, the church situated in the grounds of the Topkapi Palace which became an arsenal for the Ottoman janissaries. A home for Ottoman manufactured arms and armour, the arsenal was also a repository for arms and military trophies taken by the Ottomans from foreign campaigns. Many turban helmets of our form are found with this mark on and no doubt taken as booty from Ottoman successes in Anatolia and the Caucasus. Many pieces would then enter European collections after the armoury was cleared under order of Sultan Abdul Mecid in 1839.细节 A STEEL TURBAN HELMETWESTERN IRAN OR ANATOLIA, 15TH CENTURYThe body rising to a central finial, straight skull rising to a swollen band with thirteen flutes, struck with the Saint Irene Arsenal mark, applied steel bands around the lower edge, attachment for nose bar and seven loops to attach a mail aventail, a hook-shaped fitting riveted to the swollen band10in. (25.5cm.) high 注意事项 This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice. The USA prohibits the purchase by US persons of Iranian-origin “works of conventional craftsmanship” such as carpets, textiles, decorative objects, and scientific instruments. The US sanctions apply to US persons regardless of the location of the transaction or the shipping intentions of the US person. For this reason, Christie’s will not accept bids by US persons on this lot. Non-US persons wishing to import this lot into the USA are advised that they will need to apply for an OFAC licence and that this can take many months to be granted.