Antique 17th-18th Century Turkish Ottoman Gilt Copper Tombak Islamic Armour Bazuband

A pair of rare antique 17th-18th century parade Turkish Ottoman Islamic armor, bazuband ( بازوبند) arm guards (vambrace), kolluk, of a typical form, made of tombak (gilt copper) with turned edges.

Each bazuband is composed of a front main plate and a wrist plate connected by hinges and secured with a pin for closure.

The front and wrist plates are gold-plated copper (tombak) and adorned with ornate straps that are pierced and riveted to the bazuband.

Ottoman tombak armors made of gilt copper, including helmets, shields, and bazuband, were explicitly created for ceremonial purposes due to the softness of copper. These were worn by high military commanders and government officials during special occasions such as parades or processions at important state or religious holidays.

REFERENCES:

1. Four Ottoman tombak helmets decorated with pierced straps are featured in the Askerî Museum'smuseum's Istanbul collection and are published in the "Askeri Muze tombak Eserler Katalogu" catalog by Özlem Özkan. Please see the last photo in the listing.

2. The Ottoman tombak helmet decorated with related pierced straps from the Hungarian National Museum (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum) is published in the book "Jancsárpuska, türkiszes kard és rubintos bot - Oszmán-török fegyverek a Magyar Nemzeti Múzeumban" by Kovács S. Tibor- Bertók Krisztina. Pages 40-41. (a picture of the cover of this book showing this helmet is attached to the listing).

3. For other Ottoman tombak helmets from the Royal Armory Collections adorned with very similar ornaments, please see the links below:

https://collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-1671.html

We will provide the buyer with photocopies of the pages from the mentioned references together with a certificate of authenticity.

CONDITION: They show their age and use; gold gilding is partially rubbed, with some minor dents and loss of gilding.

MEASUREMENTS:

Overall length: 31 cm (12.2 inches).

Width at the widest point: 12 cm (4.72 inches).

Weight: 715 grams (1.573lb.)

NOTE: This simple metal ornamentation (pierced straps) is unique in Ottoman metalwork and not typically found on Ottoman armor. However, some examples of these ornaments on Ottoman armor have been preserved in various museums.

These are unique gilded copper shields and helmets, unlike others decorated with engraved floral patterns.

The few helmets and shields, including this pair of bazuband, may have been crafted by the same armorer during the same time period. This is because the unique pattern found on these objects is not present in other known examples of Ottoman armor. It suggests that they may have been produced in the same armory.