Rare Deccan Armour Wootz Cuirass from Hyderabad 2nd Nizams Armoury

A Wootz steel Deccan armour ‘cuirass’ from the armoury at Hyderabad. Dating to the 16th or 17th centuries, this form with the rounded front is rarer than other forms.The shape of this cuirass shows that western fashions by the Europeans, French and Portuguese at this period, were popular among the ruling classes, at least in Hyderabad. Some old losses and repair, the wootz pattern can be strongly seen in places. A similar example recently sold at Christies for £25,000, prior to this one of the few examples known was known from the Khalili Collection (inv. MTW 1157, David Alexander, The Arts of War, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Oxford, 1992, no. 108, p. 175).