Fine Persian Khula Khud watered steel Helmet with gold damascened decoration

A very fine Persian watered steel helmet ‘Khula Khud’ with extensive gold damascened decoration. The bowl of wootz watered steel, with panels of scrolling gold tendrils, the lower edge with a border of gold damascened arabic calligraphy, and floral edging. The crown surmounted with a wide steel disc pierced elaborately in the Persian style and mounted with a stout four-egded steel spike. The helmet front with two applied pierced plume holders, and a large steel nasal or noseguard pierced through at the top and bottom and with gold damascened decoration on the bar. All areas of the pierced steelwork; crown, plume holders and nasal have copper plate underneath which shows that originally these pierced through areas would have shone through with bright metal beneath presumably gilt-copper which must have been an impressive sight. This helmet ‘camail’ retains its original beautifully decorated mail head and neck protection of finely linked rings of brass and steel, intricately woven to form diamond, linear and dot patterns to wonderful effect. One image shown with its associated Persian Sipar shield which is also available to purchase on this website. Zand or Early Qajar Period, circa 1790   middle east. qjar