A Qajar steel Khula khud helmet with double demon head, Persia, 19th century, 37cm. high Provenance: The Estate of costume designer Anthony Powell (1935-2021) Despite the modernization of Iran’s military in the nineteenth century, traditional armor...

A Qajar steel Khula khud helmet with double demon head, Persia, 19th century, 37cm. high Provenance: The Estate of costume designer Anthony Powell (1935-2021) Despite the modernization of Iran’s military in the nineteenth century, traditional armor continued to be manufactured. Its purpose, however, is uncertain: for military parades, as costume for religious or historical plays, or as romantic souvenirs for the tourist trade. This unusual helmet, with its feline face and horns, features imagery inspired by Iran’s national epic, the Shahnama
Heavily rusted