Extremely rare Indian Embroidered shield cover with shield inside

 A most attractive and extremely rare survival of a shield cover that presumably many of the surviving shields that exist today would originally have had. This is made of hide and beautifully embroidered in intricate patterns still showing their bright and vibrant original colours. The front of the cover has four holes spaced to allow the bosses of the shield to sit snugly. The reverse features a leather drawstring which tightens around the shield and a strap to hang it. This example still retains the small shield buckler inside, the fragility of the hide means that it would probably damage the cover if this was attempted to be removed. The shield has four brass petal shaped bosses and appears to be of the rhino hide semi translucent variety. The size of the shield is fairly small and would have been used as a buckler 29 cms diameter. Northern India