INDO-ISLAMIC KHULA KHUD HELMET WITH ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS

Ca. AD 1800 A forged steel hemispherical helmet fitted with a tall central spike, a sliding nasal bar and a mail aventail suspended from the lower rim. The dome is decorated with a continuous band of oval and rectangular cartouches enclosing Arabic inscriptions in thuluth-style script, the letters enriched with dense fish-scale lattice ornament. The inscriptions comprise a combination of pious invocations and decorative pseudo-script, a feature commonly encountered in later Islamic armour. Legible phrases include Ya _Ali (�O Ali�), Nasrun min Allah (�Victory is from God�), Al-mulk lillah (�Sovereignty belongs to God�), and a partially visible Ya Sahib al-Zaman (�O Lord of the Age�). The helmet preserves a dark patina and remains an impressive example of later Islamic martial workmanship. Size: 60mm Provenance: Private London collection; US art market, before 2000. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.

Estimate:£900

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