A QAJAR ENGRAVED AND GOLD-DAMASCENED STEEL SHIELD AND ARM GUARD (BAZUBAND)
Iran, 19th century

Comprising a circular steel shield, engraved with several cusped medallions filled with floral triumphs and highlighted in gold, in the centre of the shield a flower-shaped medallion decorated with a hare, the outer band featuring oval and circular calligraphic cartouches interspersed with gold vegetal motifs and filled with bold nasta'liq inscriptions reading section 28, the battle of Rustam and Esfandiar and Rustam’s arrow hitting Esfandiar’s eye from the great Iranian epic, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings), the interior still preserving the original wool padding and cotton red lining, 46.5cm diam.; and a Qajar steel arm guard engraved with floral and vegetal motifs, featuring residues of the gold-damascened vegetal decorations in the central medallions, 34cm high.