Antique 18th Century Islamic Indo-Persian Steel Shield Separ

Large antique late 18th century Islamic Indo-Persian steel shield Separ-Dhal of a circular convex form. This shield is made from a single piece of thick solid steel that has been hand-hammered. The inside of the shield shows visible hammer marks, while the exterior surface is perfectly smooth. The shield also features four domed bosses and is affixed with four ring bolts on the reverse side for straps to hold it.

The shield features intricate hand-chiseled patterns throughout. A double-star design at the center gives way to eight petals adorned with floral vines.

The shield's border is decorated with a wide band featuring 18 oval and round cartouches, each containing Qur'anic inscriptions in the Arabic calligraphic script "inasta'liq." The edge is reinforced with a brass band that is applied and riveted to the shield.

REFERENCES:

"De Perzen, krijgers en dichters" by Mark Hoos and Francesco Civita. This is a catalog for an exhibition that was held at the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam.

Below is a link to a video from this exhibition.

https://vimeo.com/145082879

The buyer will be provided with a copy of the pages from the mentioned references and a certificate of authenticity.

NOTE: We would like to inform our clients that the market is flooded with reproductions of Indo-Persian arms and armor, including shields that appear like authentic artifacts to inexperienced collectors. Therefore, we want to clarify that the shield we are offering is a genuine Indo-Persian antique dated to the late 18th century and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

MEASUREMENTS: Diameter: 45 cm (17.72 inches).

CONDITION: shows its age and use, slightly pitted.

Nonetheless, it is still considered to be in good condition for a combat shield that is over 200 years old.